ISLE  V  DREAMS 


Come  up  closer  so  I  can  look  into  the  boat,' 
commanded  Trask 


ISLE  O'  DREAMS 

BY 
FREDERICK  F.  MOORE 

Author  of 
"The  Devil's  Admiral"  "The  Sailor  Girl"  Etc. 


FRONTISPIECE 

BY 
RALPH  FALLEN  COLEMAN 


GARDEN  CITY  NEW  YORK 

DOUBLEDAY,  PAGE  &  COMPANY 

1920 


COPYRIGHT,  1917,  1920,  BY 

DOUBLEDAY,  PAGE  4  COMPANY 

ALL  RIGHTS  RESERVED,   INCLUDING  THAT  OF 

TRANSLATION  INTO  FOREIGN  LANGUAGES, 

INCLUDING  THE  SCANDINAVIAN 


To 
MARJORIE 


2137351 


CONTENTS 

CHAPTEB  PAGE 

I.     Robert  Trask   Arrives  in  Manila  from 

Amoy 3 

II.     Dinshaw  Tells  of  His  Island    ....  19 

III.  Captain  Dinshaw  Pulls  a  Long  Bow     .  33 

IV.  Captain     Jarrow     Goes     Cruising    in 

Strange  Waters 50 

V.     Jarrow  Does  and  Says  Queer  Things     .  64 

VI.     Mr.  Peth  Is  Particular  About  Where  He 

Sleeps 74 

VH.     Trask  Has  a  Talk  With  Doc  Bird       .     .  92 

VIH.     How  the  Schooner  Arrived  off  the  Island  104 

DC.     Trask  Undertakes  a  Private  Investiga- 
tion     124 

X.     Captain  Jarrow  Admits  He  Is  Suspicious 

of  Peth 144 

XL     Mr.  Peth  Does  Most  Amazing  Things  161 

XII.     Trask  Makes  a  Discovery       .     .     .     .  179 

XIII.  What  Happened  to  Doc  and  the  Dinghy  191 

XIV.  What  Jarrow  Wanted  and  What  He  Got  203 
XV.     An  End  and  a  Beginning 220 


ISLE  O'  DREAMS 


ISLE  O'  DREAMS 

CHAPTER  I 
ROBERT  TRASK  ARRIVES  IN  MANILA  FROM  AMOY 

A  THE    tubby    little   China    Coast    steamer 
marched  up  Manila  Bay,  Trask  stood  under 
the  bridge  on  the  skimpy  "promenade  deck " 
and  waited  impatiently  for  the  doctor's  boat  to  come 
alongside.    He  was  the  only  white  passenger  among  a 
motley  lot  of  Chinese  merchants  and  half-castes  of 
varied  hues,  and  he  was  glad  the  passage  was  at  an 
end. 

He  had  made  the  trip  with  a  Finnish  skipper,  dis- 
concertingly cross-eyed,  a  Lascar  mate  who  looked 
like  a  pirate  and  had  a  voice  like  a  school-girl,  a  purser 
addicted  to  the  piccolo  late  at  night,  and  fellow-passen- 
gers who  jabbered  interminably  about  nothing  at  all  in 
half  a  dozen  languages.  So  Trask  regarded  the  spires 

3 


4  ISLE  O'  DREAMS 

and  red  roofs  of  Manila  with  the  hungry  eyes  of  a  man 
who  has  been  separated  from  civilization  and  his  own 
kind  too  many  days  to  remember. 

Before  the  steamer  anchored,  Trask  saw  the  Taming 
passing  out  for  Hong  Kong,  white  moustaches  of  foam 
at  her  forefoot  and  her  decks  alive  with  men  and 
women.  She  was  as  smart  as  a  big  liner. 

But  he  looked  away  from  her  to  the  Luneta  and  the 
villa-like  Bay  View  Hotel,  white  and  stately,  at  the 
lip  of  the  bay.  That  was  his  goal,  for  he  had  promised 
Marjorie  Locke  he  would  be  in  Manila  the  day  before, 
and  he  was  now  a  day  late. 

The  customs  boarding  officer  took  him  ashore  with 
his  bags  and  graciously  allowed  him  to  depart  in  a 
quttez,  after  holding  his  baggage  for  examination. 
Trask  went  whirling  up  Calle  San  Fernando,  through 
Plaza  Oriente,  Calle  Rosario,  Plaza  Moraga,  over  the 
Bridge  of  Spain  and  into  shady  Bazumbayan  Drive, 
skirting  the  moat  of  the  Walled  City.  It  was  a 
roundabout  way  but  the  quickest,  for  the  cochero  made 
his  ponies  travel  at  a  good  clip  for  a  double  fare. 

The  rig  shot  across  the  baking  Luneta,  and  ere  it 
had  come  to  a  full  stop  before  the  Bay  View  Trask  was 


ROBERT  TRASK  ARRIVES  IN  MANILA     5 

out  and  into  the  darkened  hall  of  the  tourist  head- 
quarters of  the  Philippine  capital. 

The  place  appeared  deserted  except  for  a  sleepy 
tmichacho,  who  staggered  out  from  some  palms,  look- 
ing for  the  new  guest's  baggage. 

"Have  you  got  an  outside  room?"  demanded  Trask 
of  the  drowsing  English  clerk  behind  the  railing,  as  he 
pulled  the  register  toward  him  and  scanned  the  open 
page. 

"I  say!    Mr.  Trask!" 

The  young  man  looked  up.  "Correct,"  he  said. 
"Where  did  we ?" 

"I'm  Wilkins,  sir,  G.  O.  H.,  Colombo.  You  were 
there  last  year,  sir,  in  from  Singapore.  You  had  an 
argument  with  a  'rickshaw  man.  I  was  managing  the 
bar  at  the  time." 

"Sure  enough,  Wilkins!  How  d'ye  do!"  and 
Trask  extended  a  hand  which  Wilkins  shook  with 
fervour,  striking  a  bell  with  the  other  for  the  Chinese 
bar-boy. 

"Two  stone  gingers  with  a  finger  of  Scotch,"  said 
Wilkins.  "Fine  room  on  the  bay-side,  Mr.  Trask. 
And  you'll  find  it  quiet  enough." 


6  ISLE  O'  DREAMS 

"It  does  look  quiet  for  you,"  said  Trask,  as  he  wrote 
his  name  in  the  register  and  took  off  his  helmet.  It 
was  plain  that  the  tropics  had  put  their  mark  upon 
him,  for  in  contrast  to  the  deep  tan  of  burnt  umber 
over  cheeks  and  chin,  the  upper  part  of  his  forehead 
showed  a  white  band  of  skin,  the  helmet  line  of  the 
veteran  traveller  in  low  latitudes.  His  black  eyes  were 
embedded  in  nests  of  tiny  wrinkles,  the  "tropical 
squint,"  which  no  mere  griffin  ever  has  as  a  passport. 

"Yes,  sir,"  said  Wilkins.  "The  China  boat  cleaned 
the  place  up  this  morning.  Not  a  tripper  left." 

"No?"  cried  Trask,  with  sudden  concern.  He 
turned  to  the  register  again  and  flopped  back  the 
pages.  "You  must  have  a  man  here  named  Locke,  an 
American,  travelling  with  his  daughter." 

"Gone,"  said  Wilkins.  "Left  on  the  Taming  to 
catch  the  Pacific  Mail  at  Hong  Kong." 

"If  that  isn't  my  blooming  luck!"  moaned  Trask, 
shutting  the  register  with  a  slam  and  turning  his  back 
to  the  desk,  a  picture  of  limp  despair. 

"Yes,  sir,"  continued  Wilkins,  coming  out  from  be- 
hind his  barrier,  "the  Lockes  left  here  Friday  for 
Dagupan,  to  be  back  in  time  to  sail  this  noon.  They 


ROBERT  TRASK  ARRIVES  IN  MANILA     7 

must  have  caught  the  Taming.  I  sent  their  spare 
trunks  down  this  morning  to  be  held  for  Mr.  Locke. 
He  wasn't  to  come  back  here,  but  go  right  aboard  from 
the  morning  train.  Friends  of  yours?" 

"Yes.  We  were  shipmates  from  Honolulu  coming 
out,  three  months  back." 

"  Very  respectable  people,"  said  Wilkins.  "  I  under- 
stand Mr.  Locke's  quite  wealthy." 

"I  imagine  so,"  replied  Trask,  despondently.  It 
was  hard  luck,  for  he  had  managed  to  take  a  month's 
vacation  for  no  other  purpose  than  to  meet  Marjorie 
Locke  for  a  few  days  in  Manila  and  here  he  was,  like  a 
man  marooned,  with  nothing  to  do,  and  the  Lockes  out 
in  the  China  Sea,  bound  for  the  "States." 

"  But  why  shouldn't  they  go?  "  thought  Trask.  The 
fact  that  he  was  secretly  in  love  with  Marjorie  Locke, 
and  had  allowed  himself  to  believe  that  she  rather 
liked  him,  was  no  reason  why  she  should  wait  in 
Manila  merely  because  he  had  told  her  that  he  ex- 
pected to  be  in  that  city  on  a  certain  date. 

"Oh,  that  reminds  me!"  said  Wilkins  suddenly,  as 
he  ran  in  behind  the  railing  again.  "Look  here !  I've 
a  letter  for  you.  Been  here  a  couple  of  days,  never 


8  ISLE  O'  DREAMS 

struck  me  at  the  time  it  was  you,  never  dawned  on  me 
until  I  saw  you  at  the  desk,  then  I  remembered  your 
name." 

"Mail  for  me?"  asked  Trask.  "Why,  nobody 
knows  I'm  in  Manila.  I'm  supposed  to  be  up  in 
Korea." 

"Not  mail,  precisely,  sir.  It  was  left  here  a  few 
days  ago." 

"Who  left  it?"    Trask  was  suddenly  hopeful. 

"Can't  say,  sir.  I  found  it  on  the  desk.  Rather 

mysterious,  you  know.  I'd  say  it  was *  He 

paused,  to  rifle  the  letter-rack. 

"Was  what?" 

"If  you  don't  mind,  sir,  I'd  say  it  was  queer,  rather 
extraordinary  circumstance.  Now  where  could  I  have 
put  it?" 

"How  was  it  queer?  Don't  keep  me  on  the  grid. 
What  about  it?" 

"The  fact  is,"  said  Wilkins,  "I'd  consider  it  a  bit 
irregular.  The  backing  was  done  with  a  typewriter, 
but  the  paper — I'd  say  the  envelope  was  business,  but 
not  house  stationary.  It  struck  me  that  way,  if  you 
don't  mind  my  saying  it.  Quite  involuntary  on  my 


ROBERT  TRASK  ARRIVES  IN  MANILA    9 

part,  but  natural,  sir,  considering  the  name  looked 
familiar.  Of  course,  I  never  remembered  you  in 
connection  with  Colombo  until  I'd  seen  your  face — 

"Certainly,  certainly,"  said  Trask,  impatiently. 

"  Stupid  of  me  not  to  think  of  it  before,"  went  on 
Wilkins,  musingly.  "We  hotel  men  get  to  notice 
things,  and  I  shouldn't  like  to  be  so  slow  as  a  usual 
thing  with —  Ah,  here  it  is!  Got  in  among  the 
steamer  guides." 

Trask  reached  across  for  the  letter.  It  was  a  large, 
square  envelope  of  a  bulky  woven  paper.  On  it  was 
typed  in  purple: 

Mr.    Robert    Trask.    Consolidated   Mines   Syndicate. 
To  be  called  for. 

The  letters  of  the  words  were  topped  by  a  faint  and 
blurry  purple  line,  showing  that  the  heavy  envelope 
had  undergone  troubles  by  being  rolled  into  a  type- 
writer. 

"Excuse  me,"  said  Trask.  He  tore  it  open  just  as 
the  bar-boy  appeared  with  a  tray  decorated  with  stone 
ginger  jars  and  glasses.  The  letter  read : 


io  ISLE  O'  DREAMS 

DEAR  MR.  TRASK: 

Thank  you  so  much  for  the  flowers  you  sent  me  at  the 
King  Edward  in  Hong  Kong.  They  were  lovely.  So 
sorry  we  shan't  see  you  again.  I  remember  you  said  you'd 
be  in  Manila  the  tenth  of  this  month.  Dad  has  changed 
his  plans  and  wants  to  get  back  home,  so  we  leave  Manila 
by  the  Taming  on  the  eleventh.  We  are  going  up  to 
Dagupan  by  train  and  will  reach  Manila  to  sail  by  noon. 
So,  if  you  do  get  to  Manila  on  the  tenth,  I  think  it  would  be 
jolly  to  see  you  on  board.  We'll  go  directly  from  the 
station  to  the  tender.  I'll  address  this  on  the  machine, 
so  it'll  look  most  businesslike,  for  Mr.  Wilkins,  the  clerk,  is 
prone  to  gossip.  Thank  you  again  for  your  kindness  in 
Hong  Kong  and  your  many  kindnesses  to  Dad  and  me  on 
board  the  Manchuria. 

Sincerely, 
MARJORIE  LOCKE. 

Trask,  smiling  broadly,  put  the  letter  into  his 
pocket. 

"That  must  be  good  news,  sir.  Hope  it  is.  Shall 
we  go  out  on  the  big  veranda  for  our  nip?  Cooler  out 
there." 

"What?  Yes,  certainly,"  said  Trask,  reminded  of 
where  he  was  as  he  looked  up  to  see  the  bar-boy 
standing  beside  him  and  Wilkins  waiting.  In  spite  of 
the  fact  that  the  letter  was  ample  proof  that  Miss 


ROBERT  TRASK  ARRIVES  IN  MANILA     n 

Locke  was  gone,  it  had  put  his  head  in  a  whirl.  At 
least  she  hadn't  forgotten.  He  followed  Wilkins. 

"You  look  quite  bucked  up  now,"  said  Wilkins,  as 
he  pulled  out  a  chair  beside  a  marble-topped  table. 

"I  do  feel  better,"  admitted  Trask.  "Just  the 
same,  I'm  bitterly  disappointed.  No  doubt  I'm  un- 
grateful, but  I've  played  in  rotten  luck." 

"You  expected  to  meet  the  Lockes?"  suggested 
Wilkins.  "Too  bad." 

"Yes,"  said  Trask,  and  taking  a  glass  from  the  bar- 
boy,  sat  down. 

"Here's  luck  and  a  long  stay,  sir,"  said  Wilkins. 

"  Thanks."  But  Trask  was  rather  listless  and  tired, 
frankly  bored  by  the  clerk.  He  stared  out  over  the 
sickle  curve  of  the  bay  along  the  Cavite  shore,  where  a 
line  of  white  beach  made  a  barrier  between  the  water 
and  the  green  jungle.  The  red-roofed  buildings  of 
Cavite  lay  out  on  the  end  of  the  sickle  like  a  clutter  of 
bleached  bones  cast  up  by  the  tide. 

The  bay  lay  like  a  great  shining  shield  before  him, 
blazing  with  millions  of  mirrors  that  danced  on  the 
shoulders  of  the  sleek  and  lazy  swells,  lifting  in  the  sun- 
dazzle  from  the  entrance,  some  twenty-five  miles  away. 


i2  ISLE  O'  DREAMS 

Trask  looked  at  his  watch.  It  was  well  after  one, 
the  hour  when  men  take  shelter  from  the  sun  in  cafes 
to  talk  over  prolonged  tiffins  and  wait  for  the  heat  of 
mid-day  to  wane. 

A  hush  had  fallen  over  the  city,  like  the  lull  which 
precedes  the  breaking  of  a  typhoon,  a  panting  sort  of 
hush.  Heat  waves  rose  from  the  bare  expanse  of 
the  Luneta  like  siroccos  from  the  nether  regions,  and 
the  palm  trees  of  the  Malecqn  Drive,  seen  through 
the  shimmering  air,  appeared  to  dance  like  souls  in 
torture. 

Beyond  the  Luneta  the  tawny  walls  of  the  city 
fairly  cracked  with  the  heat,  and  over  them  could  be 
seen  the  sea  of  roofs  of  the  intra-mural  section,  the 
heart  of  Manila,  inside  its  ancient  bastions.  Spires 
rose  from  the  ruck  of  low  buildings  like  dead  trees 
denuded  of  their  branches.  Down  the  bay  a  streamer 
of  smoke  hung  over  the  Bataan  hills,  the  last  vestige  of 
the  outward-bound  Taming,  a  sort  of  farewell  pennant 
left  behind  to  tell  that  she  was  driving  jauntily  toward 
Hong  Kong. 

"It'll  be  cooler  in  an  hour,"  ventured  Wilkins. 

"If  you'll  order  a  rig  for  me,"  said  Trask,  "I'll  roll 


ROBERT  TRASK  ARRIVES  IN  MANILA    13 

down  to  the  customs  house  and  see  about  my  bag- 
gage." 

"How  about  tiffin,  sir?" 

"Good  idea.  I'll  have  it  with  you.  Never  mind 
the  rig  now.  By  the  way,  I  heard  some  gossip  coming 
down.  Did  you  ever  hear  of  a  man  named  Dinshaw? 
A  sailor?" 

"Looney  Dinshaw?    Raw-ther!    He's  a  joke." 

"How  a  joke?" 

"Oh,  the  poor  old  blighter,  he  sells  pictures  which 
he  paints  himself.  They're  pictures  of  an  island  he 
says  he  was  wrecked  on,  that's  full  of  gold.  Comes 
up  here  and  sells  'em  to  trippers." 

"But  the  island?"  persisted  Trask.  "There  was  a 
Swede  yarning  with  the  skipper,  but  they  wouldn't  let 
me  hear." 

"Dinshaw's  loco"  said  Wilkins.  "Lost  his  ship  on 
this  island  three  or  four  years  ago.  It's  somewhere  up 
the  north  coast.  He  was  taken  off  by  a  Jap  fisher 
crew  blown  down  from  the  Rykukus.  He  lost  his  ship 
right  enough,  and  his  mind  with  it.  To  hear  him  talk 
you'd  think  it  was  solid  gold." 

"Solid  gold  is  what  I'm  hunting  for  when  I'm  work- 


i4  ISLE  O'  DREAMS 

ing,"  said  Trask  with  a  smile.  "I'd  like  to  look  into 
this  business." 

"There's  plenty  who's  looked  into  it,  sir,  but  they 
can't  get  anything  but  "  abble  out  of  the  old  fellow. 
He  thinks  everybody  wants  to  cheat  him." 

"Where  can  I  find  him?" 

"In  the  Sailors'  Home,  kept  by  Prayerful  Jones  in 
Calle  San  Fernando,  a  charity  place  for  sailors  on  the 
beach.  I  say,  you're  not  serious?  " 

"Indeed  I  am.  Not  that  I  expect  to  find  a  solid 
gold  island,  but  if  it's  off  the  coast  of  Luzon  it  might 
give  me  a  lead  to  something  up  in  the  mountains.  The 
Igorrotes  find  some  gold  up  in  the  rivers  and  I've 
heard  the  rocks  were  mighty  heavy.  May  be  iron 
pyrites,  or  it  may  be  the  real  thing." 

"I  can  have  him  up  here,"  suggested  Wilkins. 
"  Just  drop  a  word  over  the  'phone  to  Prayerful  Jones. 
Nobody  need  know  what  it's  about.  I'll  hint  he  may 
sell  a  picture." 

"Shoot!"  said  Trask.  "I've  got  a  month  to  kill, 
and  some  money  to  gamble  on  my  own  hook.  I  may 
take  a  flyer  on  it,  if  I  can  get  anything  definite  out  of 
this  Dinshaw." 


ROBERT  TRASK  ARRIVES  IN  MANILA     15 

"You'll  have  half  the  waterfront  on  your  heels  if  you 
let  it  out  that  you're  taking  Dinshaw  to  his  island. 
Plenty  would  go  if  he'd  tell  'em  where  it  is,  but  they 
want  to  skin  him." 

"Then  we'll  keep  it  mum!  Hello!  Who's  com- 
ing?" 

He  heard  the  rattle  of  hoofs  and  looked  across  the 
Luneta  to  see  a  victoria  whirl  out  of  Bagumbayan 
Drive.  It  was  occupied  by  a  man  in  a  pongee  suit  and 
a  young  woman  in  white  with  a  blue  parasol  which 
rose  above  the  rig  like  a  porcelain  minaret. 

"The  Lockes!"  cried  Wilkins. 

"Hush!"  said  Trask.  "Don't  say  a  word  about 
me.  I'll  surprise  'em!"  He  picked  up  a  copy  of  the 
Cablenews  from  the  table  and  hid  himself  behind  its 
ample  pages. 

"We'll  stick  right  here  until  the  next  boat,"  he 
heard  Locke  saying  as  the  victoria  stopped.  "I'd 
like  to  see  somebody  pry  me  loose  from  this  porch." 

Trask  looked  over  the  top  of  his  paper  to  see 
Marjorie  Locke,  in  duck  skirt  and  linen  coat,  climb 
down  from  the  victoria.  Her  hair  was  as  yellow  as  her 
wide-brimmed  "sailor"  and  her  eyes  as  blue  as  her 


16  ISLE  O'  DREAMS 

parasol.  She  was  laughing  gaily  as  she  mounted  the 
stoop. 

"You  missed  the  boat!"  exclaimed  Wilkins,  as  he 
came  out. 

"Missed  it  forty  miles!"  said  Locke,  taking  off  his 
floppy  Bangkok  hat  and  using  a  handkerchief  on  his 
face  as  though  it  were  a  blotter.  His  nose  was  peeled 
from  sunburn,  but  his  round  and  rubicund  face  fairly 
oozed  good  humour. 

"Your  luggage — I  sent  it,  sir,"  said  Wilkins. 

"Hang  the  luggage!  I'll  have  a  soda  bath  right 
away.  I've  got  the  prickly  heat  so  bad  I  feel  like  a 
human  pincushion!" 

"Yes,  sir,"  said  Wilkins. 

"  Be  game,  Dad !  You  always  told  me  you  liked  the 
tropics." 

"So  I  do — at  home  in  the  winter  time.  I  believe 
you  knew  we'd  miss  that  boat,  Marge.  I'm  wise! 
You  want  to  see  where  Magellan  landed  and  where 
Legaspi  gasped." 

"I  can't  say  you're  a  born  tourist,"  said  his  daugh- 
cer. 

"  Yes,  I  am.    Just  now  I'd  start  for  the  North  Pole. 


ROBERT  TRASK  ARRIVES  IN  MANILA     17 

Wow!  Those  Spanish  fellows  sure  liked  a  hot  climate 
when  they  went  out  to  take  up  land!  Whoof!  I'd 
give  a  lot  for  ten  cubic  feet  of  'Frisco  fog  right  now! 
Turn  the  blowers  on  in  our  rooms,  Wilkins,  and  say, 
aim  mine  at  the  bath  water.  Well,  look  who's  here! 
If  that  isn't  Trask  I'll " 

"Mr.  Trask!"  cried  Miss  Locke.  "How  jolly! 
Fancy  meeting  you!" 

"Fancy  meeting  him!"  exclaimed  Locke,  derisively. 
"  It's  a  frameup,  that's  what  it  is,  a  frameup  on  me  and 
my  prickly  heat!" 

Trask  climbed  out  from  behind  his  paper  and  stood 
up,  bowing  and  grinning. 

"I'm  sorry  you  missed  your  boat — almost,"  he 
said. 

" Oh,  shucks! "  said  Locke,  taking  his  hand  and  pull- 
ing him  forward.  "I  don't  give  a  whoop.  Marge, 
I'll  bet  forty  dollars  you  knew  that  Dagupan  train 
wouldn't  catch  the  Taming!" 

"  Don't  be  absurd,  Dad.  We're  so  glad  to  meet  you 
again,  Mr.  Trask.  We  were  stupid  about  the  train, 
but " 

"You'll  have  to  excuse  me,"  said  her  father,  "I  hear 


iS  ISLE  O'  DREAMS 

:"-:  :..::-.  c:ir.g  WEkins!  Frr.i  us  liziz.  -.ill  we're 
blue  in  the  face."  and  be  disappeared  into  the  «z&z. 

"And  there  isn't  a  boat  to  connect  with  the  Pacific 
Mail  for  twenty-six  days,"  sad  Trask.  "I'm  on  a 
vacation.*" 

''You  know  so  much  about  Manila,  too,"  she  said. 
"  But  we  may  go  on  the  Thursday  boat.19 

"The  Thursday  boat?" 

"Yes." 

"If  there's  a  Thursday  boat,  IT1  wreck  it,"  said 
Trask,  and  clapped  Ids 


CHAPTER  H 
DDJSHAW  TELLS  OF  His  ISLAND 

HERE,"  said  Locke,  "comes  Rip  Van  Winkle 
— without  his  dog." 
"A  beggar!"  whispered  Marjorie,  looking 
past  Trask.    "Poor  old  man!" 

Trask  turned  from  the  table,  and  saw  at  the  end  of 
the  veranda  an  old  man  approaching  with  a  package 
under  his  arm.  He  looked  like  a  vagabond,  in  khaki 
trousers  with  the  bottoms  fringed  by  tatters  through 
which  showed  his  bare  ankles;  pitiful  old  cloth  shoes; 
a  patched  coat  of  white  drQl  with  frogging  across  the 
front  such  as  Chinese  mess  boys  wear;  and  a  battered. 
rimless  straw  hat.  He  drew  near  the  table  with  weary 
feet,  hesitatingly  and  dazed,  as  though  he  had  lost  his 
way,  peering  about  Eke  an  owl  thrust  into  the  light  of 
mid-day  from  a  darkened  belfry. 
"Why,  it  must  be  Captain  Dinshaw!"  said  Trask. 
19 


20  ISLE  O'  DREAMS 

The  old  man  stopped  ten  feet  from  the  trio  and  lift- 
ing his  head  like  a  hound  who  has  taken  scent,  gazed  at 
them  suspiciously.  Then  he  smiled  toothlessly  and 
swung  off  his  bowl  of  a  hat  with  a  grand  air. 

"Aye,  sir,"  he  said,  in  a  weak  but  shrill  voice. 
"  Cap'n  Dinshaw,  late  of  the  bark,  James  B.  Wether  all, 
lost  in  a  typhoon  an'  Lord  ha'  mercy  on  us!" 

"This  is  a  shame!"  said  Locke,  in  a  cautious  whis- 
per to  Trask,  as  he  leaned  back  in  his  grass  chair  to 
light  a  cigar.  "I  hate  to  see  a  white  man  like  that  in 
this  country." 

"He  looks  hungry,"  said  Marjorie.  "Dad,  call  the 
boy!" 

"  It's  an  interesting  case,"  said  Trask.  "  I  want  you 
to  hear  him.  Wilkins  had  him  up  so  I  could  talk  to 
him.  He's  got  an  island." 

"Would  the  lady  buy  a  picter?"  inquired  Dinshaw, 
with  a  little  bow.  "Hand  painted  by  myself, 
out  of  my  head,  from  my  own  recollections.  A 
good  suwerner."  He  began  to  unwrap  his  flat 
parcel. 

"Come  over  here  and  sit  down,"  said  Locke,  rising, 
and  pushing  forward  a  chair.  "You  ought  to  have 


DINSHAW  TELLS  OF  HIS  ISLAND       21 

something  to  drink  and  a  bite  to  eat.  Shouldn't  be 
out  in  sun  like  this  with  that  sort  of  headgear." 

Dinshaw  muttered  a  thanks,  and  dropped  into  the 
chair,  his  thin,  wrinkled  face  drawing  into  a  queer 
smile.  He  let  the  package  fall  across  his  knees,  and 
his  hat  dropped  from  his  trembling  fingers.  He 
stroked  a  tuft  of  whisker  under  his  chin. 

"I  don't  mind  the  heat,  but  the  soup's  bad,"  he 
remarked. 

"Here's  the  boy,"  said  Trask.  "Now  what's  it  to 
be?" 

"Eh!  Oh,  Ah  Wing!  That  boy  knows  me.  A  tot 
of  gin  with  a  stinger,  and  thank  you  kindly.  A 
master  should  go  with  his  ship,"  and  he  touched  his 
sparse  white  hair  which  showed  his  scalp,  and  nodded 
his  head,  staring  out  over  the  bay  as  if  in  a  reverie. 
The  colour  was  bleached  out  of  his  failing  eyes  and 
they  had  a  habit  of  roving  about  unsteadily,  a  quality 
common  in  old  sailors  and  probably  acquired  in  a 
lifetime  of  watching  heaving  seas. 

"Bring  some  more  of  the  fish,  and  a  big  cup  of 
coffee,"  said  Trask,  as  Ah  Wing  grinned  and  turned  to 
go. 


22  ISLE  O'  DREAMS 

"  So  you  sell  pictures,"  encouraged  Marjorie.  "And 
paint  them  yourself! " 

"Aye,  ma'am.  All  hands  lost  but  myself — piled  up 
on  a  reef  of  this  island.  A  master  should  go  with  his 
ship."  He  clutched  at  his  parcel  and  began  tearing 
off  the  string. 

"Picters  o'  my  island.  I  allus  was  a  painter,"  he 
continued,  "if  I  did  foller  the  sea.  Why,  in  my  bark, 
the  Wetherall  it  was,  I  had  fancy  picters  on  the  bulk- 
heads an'  gold  linin'  over  the  white  but  she  got  in  a 
twistin'  jimmycane,  such  as  we  have  in  these  waters. 
Thar's  my  island!" 

He  held  up  one  canvas,  a  foot  high  and  two  feet 
wide,  tacked  over  a  piece  of  board.  It  was  a  gaudy 
representation  of  an  island  wrought  with  pathetic 
lack  of  skill.  There  was  a  conical  peak  at  the  left  end 
smeared  with  a  slash  of  purple,  and  over  it  a  very  red 
and  very  round  sun.  The  land  sloped  away  from  the 
peak  to  the  other  end  of  the  island,  and  was  lost  in  a 
white  streak  extending  seaward,  like  the  bony  ringer  of 
a  skeleton,  marking  a  reef  clothed  with  fuzzy  breakers. 
A  rocky  ledge  ran  down  to  where  the  reef  began  and  a 
big  gray  stone  stood  up  abruptly,  giving  the  island  the 


DINSHAW  TELLS  OF  HIS  ISLAND       23 

appearance  of  a  bluff-bowed  vessel,  and  under  it,  a 
triangular  patch  of  beach.  Near  the  rock  were  four 
palm  trees.  One  bent  over  at  a  sharp  angle,  as  if  it 
had  been  partly  uprooted,  and  its  moppy  fronds  al- 
most trailed  in  the  still  water  of  a  pool  formed  by  a 
second  reef,  not  so  clearly  denned,  which  ran  parallel 
with  the  land.  Except  inside  this  natural  basin  the 
whole  shore  of  the  island  was  wreathed  by  white 
rollers  and  behind  the  shore  line  was  a  fringe  of  vividly 
green  jungle. 

"Oh,  isn't  that  splendid!"    exclaimed  Marjorie. 

"It's  a  work  o'  art,  that's  what  everybody  says," 
remarked  the  old  man  with  a  show  of  pride. 

"What  do  you  call  the  island?"  asked  Locke. 

"The  name  don't  matter,  sir.  'Dinshaw's  Island' 
they  call  it  hereabouts,  in  honour  o'  the  fact  I  was 
wrecked  on  it.  Blown  off  my  course  in  a  typhoon  at 
night  and  went  smash  into  this  reef  ye  see  here.  I 
was  washed  out  o'  the  riggin',  an'  when  I  come  to  I 
was  on  the  beach  here,  wreckage  all  round,  an'  the  sun 
shinin'  bright  as  a  whiffet,  an'  me  all  beat  out  an' 
water-logged.  Right  there  it  was,"  and  he  put  his 
thumb  on  a  spot  near  the  rock. 


24  ISLE  O'  DREAMS 

"Is  it  a  big  island?"  asked  Trask. 

"Not  in  the  way  ye  might  think.  Big  enough  as  it 
goes,  but  it  ain't  the  size  what  counts,"  and  he  broke 
into  a  cackling  laugh,  wagging  his  head,  as  if  he  held 
the  secret  of  a  great  joke. 

"Where  is  it?"  asked  Locke. 

"Thar's  lots  as  would  like  to  know,  sir,"  said  Din- 
shaw,  gravely.  "But  I  ain't  in  the  way  o'  tellin',  not 
until  I  can  see  my  way  clear  to  go  myself." 

"It  is  near  the  mainland  of  Luzon?"  asked  Trask. 

Dinshaw  turned  quickly  and  peered  at  him  sus- 
piciously, pursing  his  lips. 

"It  is,"  he  said,  finally. 

"I  don't  see  any  other  land  in  the  picture,"  ven- 
tured Trask,  scanning  the  canvas  with  more  care. 

"Ye  bet  ye  don't!"  snapped  Dinshaw,  with  sudden 
asperity.  "  I  left  that  out  so  they  can't  find  it.  Lots 
as  would  like  to  find  Dinshaw's  island,  young  man,  but 
I'm  savin'  it  for  myself.  Jarrow  said  he'd  take  me, 
but  he  never  did.  He  wants  to  go  steal  it  himself.  I 
know.  I  know.  They  can't  fool  me,  if  I  am  old." 

"Steal  your  island?"  asked  Marjorie.  "Why,  how 
could  anybody  steal  an  island?  " 


DINSHAW  TELLS  OF  HIS  ISLAND       25 

"What's  on  it?"  whispered  Dinshaw. 

"Oh,  ho,"  said  Locke.  "Then  there's  something 
on  it,  is  there?  Now  we're  interesting!  Treasure,  I 
suppose." 

"Gold  on  it,"  piped  Dinshaw,  with  childish  sim- 
plicity. "Gold  enough  to  make  us  all  rich.  Gold 
enough  to  ballast  a  hundred  ships! 

"Ye  see  that  reef?  Well,  I  lay  in  that  bight  thar, 
an'  the  sun  come  out.  The  eye  o'  the  storm  it  was,  and 
after  awhile  it  come  on  to  blow  again,  as  is  the  custom 
with  twisters.  When  the  weather  cleared  again,  I 
don't  know  how  long  it  was,  I  crawled  down  and  over- 
hauled the  flotsam.  There  was  part  of  Number  One 
boat,  with  a  beaker  o'  water  an'  a  ham  from  the  cabin 
stores.  Later,  I  found  my  mate,  Seth  Colburn.  He 
was  dead.  He'd  sailed  with  me  all  his  life,  come  from 
down  Eastport  way,  and  a  smart  man  he  was,  too,  at 
figgers.  I  dug  his  grave  with  my  bare  hands  in  this 
patch  o'  sand,  right  there  under  the  ridge,  and  it  was 
all  yaller,  shinin'  in  the  sun,  as  it  run  through  my 
fingers.  All  glittery  an'  soft,  like  corn  meal.  That 
island's  full  o'  it,  I'm  tellin'  ye!  It'll  make  us  all 
rich! "  His  voice  rose,  and  quavered  with  excitement. 


26  ISLE  O'  DREAMS 

Locke  looked  at  Trask  questioningly. 

"Here,"  said  Trask,  passing  Dinshaw  the  glass 
which  the  bar-boy  brought.  "Drink  this." 

"  Jarrow  said  he'd  take  me,"  gasped  Dinshaw  after 
he  had  drunk. 

"Who's  Jarrow?"  asked  Trask. 

"Oh,  he's  got  a  schooner,"  said  Dinshaw. 

"So  your  island  is  full  of  gold,"  said  Locke,  with  a 
skeptical  wink  for  the  benefit  of  Trask  and  Marjorie. 
"And  you  sell  pictures  of  it,  eh?  " 

"Aye,  gold.  An'  Seth  Colburn's  buried  in  it.  He'd 
laugh  if  he  knew.  But  Jarrow'll  take  me  some  day, 
an'  when  he  does,  I'll  go  back  to  Yarmouth  an'  build  a 
big  house,  all  snug  an'  shipshape,  with  a  piazza  like  the 
quarter-deck  of  a  frigate,  an'  a  garden  with  petunias, 
an' — an' — have  good  soup  for  supper.  I  fed  my  crew 
better'n  Prayerful  Jones  does,  an'  I  tell  him  so  every 
day.  Them  that  sailed  with  Cap'n  Dinshaw  had  duff 
twice  a  week  with  raisins  in  it,  sir,  an'  Wes'  Injia 
m'lasses." 

Marjorie  passed  Dinshaw  a  plate  of  sandwiches  and 
served  him  with  a  cup  of  coffee.  Trask  drew  aside, 
and  Locke  followed  him. 


DINSHAW  TELLS  OF  HIS  ISLAND       27 

"This  is  right  in  your  line,"  said  Locke. 

" I've  a  mind  to  investigate  it,"  said  Trask.  "Heard 
some  talk  about  it  on  my  way  down  from  Amoy." 

"Sounds  fishy  to  me,"  said  Locke.  "I  believe  he's 
off  his  head." 

"That's  what  they  say  here.  Wilkins  was  telling 
me  about  him." 

"You  think  there's  gold  there?" 

"  Possibly.  The  formation  of  the  ledge  looks  promis- 
ing. He  may  have  run  into  a  deposit  washed  out  by 
the  sea,  merely  a  pocket,  but  significant.  You  see,  if 
the  ledge  in  the  picture  is  a  continuation  of  a  crest  from 
the  mainland,  I  might  follow  up  the  lead  on  Luzon. 
There  is  gold  out  here  but  the  country  hasn't  been 
properly  prospected,  owing  to  the  troubles  with  the 
natives.  I'd  like  to  look  things  over  on  my  own  hook. 
Of  course  the  company  would  go  in  on  it  with  me. 
I've  always  wanted  to  come  here  but  my  chief  never 
thought  much  of  it.  So  I'm  on  a  vacation,  and  what 
I  find  for  myself  I'll  be  able  to  swing.  If  Dinshaw 
would  split " 

"You'd  get  yourself  into  a  tangle  with  him,"  said 
Locke.  "He'd  most  likely  go  around  telling  folks  you 


28  ISLE  O'  DREAMS 

wanted  to  steal  his  island  if  you  talked  with  him  about 
it." 

"I'll  go  slowly  and  I  may  get  his  confidence  after 
awhile." 

"Well,  I  wish  you  luck,"  said  Locke.  " I'm  going  to 
make  the  Thursday  boat." 

"I  wasn't  thinking  of  going  on  this  trip  for  a  couple 
of  weeks,"  Trask  hastened  to  say. 

"Hong  Kong  for  mine,"  said  Locke. 

" Dad !  Come  here,  please,"  called  Marjorie.  "  Cap- 
tain Dinshaw  wants  to  go  to  his  island.  It  seems  to 
me  that  you  men  who  are  looking  for  something  to  do 
might  help  him  out." 

"I'll  give  him  ten  pesos  for  one  of  those  pictures," 
said  Locke. 

"The  other  for  me  at  the  same  price,"  said  Trask. 

"Stingies!"  cried  Marjorie.  "If  I  were  a  man,  I'd 
go  find  his  island." 

"Perhaps  I  will,"  said  Trask. 

"None  of  this  Count  of  Monte  Cristo  stuff  for  me," 
said  Locke,  as  he  laid  down  a  bill  before  Dinshaw. 
"Say,  captain,  I'll  tell  you  what  I'll  do,  I'll  pay  your 
passage  home  first  class  if  you'll  go  so  that  you  can  get 


DINSHAW  TELLS  OF  HIS  ISLAND       29 

back  to  your  relatives.  Now  you  can't  say  I'm  a 
piker,  Marge." 

"Ten  pesos  I"  whispered  Dinshaw,  staring  at  the 
bill.  "Thank  ye  kindly,  sir.  I'll  make  ye  all 
rich." 

"But  how  about  going  home?"  said  Locke.  "I'll 
fix  you  up  with  some  clothes.  This  is  no  place  for  an 
old  man  like  you." 

"Home!"  said  Dinshaw.  "I'm  at  the  Sailors' 
Home." 

"But  you  ought  to  be  back  in  the  States." 

"I'm  goin'  back  to  my  island,  that's  what,"  insisted 
Dinshaw.  "  Jarrow  said  he'd  take  me." 

"Dad,  you  said  I  could  go  anywhere  I  wanted  on  this 
trip,"  pouted  Marjorie. 

"Where  do  you  want  to  go,  Miss  Trinkets?" 

"I  think  it  would  be  gorgeous  fun  to  find  this  island. 
I've  never  done  anything  romantic  in  my  life,  and  I've 
always  wanted  to  elope,  or  something.  I'll  run  away 
with  a  drummer  in  a  band — or  something  like  that,  if 
I  have  to  go  home  without  finding  an  island — a 
tropical  island,  with  a  wreck,  too — and  sailors  buried 
on  it — and  gold!  I'm  for  it,  strong." 


3o  ISLE  O'  DREAMS 

"Not  so  strong  as  I  am  for  a  touch  of  cool  weather," 
laughed  Locke.  "That  reminds  me,  it's  time  for 
another  soda " 

"Dad!" 

But  Locke  disappeared  into  the  hall,  laughing,  say- 
ing something  about  Timbuctoo  and  other  places  he 
would  not  care  to  visit. 

"And  he's  finding  fault  about  having  to  live  in 
tourist  hotels  and  listen  to  bored  guides!  And  here's 
a  chance  to  get  off  the  main  stamping  ground,  as  he 
calls  it,  and  help  a  poor  old  man." 

'We  don't  like  to  get  far  from  the  comforts  of 
civilization,  after  all,"  said  Trask.  "But  I  don't 
know  of  anything  I'd  rather  do  than  take  you  and  your 
father  cruising." 

"I  wish  there  wasn't  any  old  Thursday  boat," 
wailed  Marjorie.  "We  might  argue  him  into  going 
if  we  had  more  time." 

"You've  got  to  miss  that  Thursday  boat,"  declared 
Trask.  "We  ought  to  be  able  to  kidnap  him  or 
something." 

"What's  the  name?"  asked  Dinshaw,  rising  from 
the  table  and  putting  on  his  hat. 


DINSHAW  TELLS  OF  HIS  ISLAND      31 

"Locke,"  said  Marjorie.  "Mr.  Locke.  You  come 
up  again  to-morrow  and  see  us." 

"I'll  have  to  paint  another  picter,"  said  Dinshaw. 

"Here,"  said  Trask.  "You  take  this  one  with  you, 
and  bring  it  back  to-morrow,  when  I'll  pay  you  twenty 
pesos  for  it.  That'll  give  you  an  excuse  for  coming 
back.  And  don't  say  a  word  to  anybody." 

"Locke,"  murmured  Dinshaw.     "Mr.  Locke." 

"You  ought  to  eat  some  more,"  said  Marjorie. 

"Can't  stop,"  said  Dinshaw,  gathering  up  the  other 
picture,  which  he  had  not  unwrapped.  "Can't  wait 
for  the  tide.  I'll  go  see  Jarrow.  He  said  he'd  take  me." 

"Now  look  here,"  said  Trask.  "Don't  you  say  a 
word  to  anybody.  Understand?  Don't  tell  anybody!" 

"I'm  a  clam,  sir,  a  clam,"  said  Dinshaw,  solemnly, 
and  blinking  his  eyes  at  the  sun  which  assailed  him 
from  the  bare  Luneta,  he  hurried  down  the  steps  and 
hastened  away. 

"Poor  old  duffer,"  said  Trask. 

"We've  got  to  help  him  find  his  island,"  said  Mar- 
jorie. "I'll  tell  you  what  to  do.  Dad  wants  to  get 
up  to  Hong  Kong  because  there's  a  man  at  the  King 
Edward  he  can  beat  at  billiards." 


32  ISLE  O'  DREAMS 

"What's  that  got  to  do  with  it?"  asked  Trask, 
vaguely. 

"  You're  a  regular  man ! "  she  retorted.  "  Can't  you 
see?  Can  you  play  billiards?  " 

"A  little,"  admitted  Trask. 

"Come  up  to  our  rooms  and  have  tea,"  she  said. 
"Then  you  get  Dad  into  a  game  of  billiards,  play  as 
well  as  you  can  and — lose." 

"A  whale  of  an  idea!"  exclaimed  Trask. 

"And  don't  say  anything  more  about  the  island," 
warned  Marjorie.  "Dad's  stubborn,  but  he's  easy  to 
handle.  We'll  act  as  if  we  didn't  care  a  whoop  about 
this  Dinshaw  business — until  we  miss  the  Thursday 
boat.  Then  we'll  give  him  no  rest.  But  remember, 
I'm  for  the  Thursday  boat.  That's  just  to  throw  him 
off  his  guard.  He's  a  dear  old  Dad,  but  sometimes 
he's  balky." 


CHAPTER  IH 
CAPTAIN  DINSHAW  PULLS  A  LONG  Bow 

BELOW  the  customs  house  in  Manila,  close  to 
the  embankment  of  the  Pasig  River,  on  the 
Binondo  side,  opposite  Fort  Santiago  and  the 
Walled   City,   there  is  an  ancient  adobe  building 
thatched  with  nipa.    Its  narrow  door  opens  on  the 
waterfront.    High  and  narrow   windows,  devoid  of 
glass  or  shell,  are  mere  slits  cut  through  the  walls. 
Seen  from  the  river,  they  have  a  striking  resemblance 
to  the  gun-ports  of  an  ancient  battleship. 

This  place  is  known  to  sailormen  the  world  over  as 
"The  Cuartel"  and  probably  takes  its  name  from  the 
fact  that  it  was  a  sort  of  block  house  used  by  the 
Spanish,  to  hold  the  approaches  to  the  river.  It 
stands  at  the  head  of  a  narrow  little  street  which  twists 
back  into  the  native  quarter  of  Tondo,  and  affords  a 
haven  for  the  mixed  population  which  labours  on  the 

33 


34  ISLE  O'  DREAMS 

Mole — coolies,  seamen,  Chinese  mess  "boys,"  Tagalog 
cargadores,  Lascar  serangs,  stalwart  Sikh  watchmen 
from  the  hemp  and  sugar  godowns,  squat  Germans  in 
white  suits  with  pencils  stuck  in  their  sun  helmets  and 
wearing  amber-coloured  spectacles.  British  clerks 
with  cargo  lists,  customs  brokers,  barking  mates  with 
blasphemous  vocabularies,  Scotch  mechanics  with 
parched  throats,  and  all  the  underlings  who  have  to  do 
with  ships  and  their  freights. 

Here  they  all  gather  for  their  tipple  and  gossip,  easy 
at  friendships  and  quick  at  quarrels.  They  babble  of 
things  which  then"  employers  would  have  kept  secret, 
their  tongues  limbered  by  drams  from  square-shoul- 
dered greenish  bottles,  Dutch  as  dykes,  which  line  the 
shelves  behind  the  bar. 

The  Cuartel  is  owned  by  a  black  man  from  Batavia 
who  calls  himself  Vanderzee.  His  mother  was  a 
Kling.  He  was  berth-deck  cook  of  a  gunboat,  by  his 
own  report,  and  "Jack  o'  the  Dust"  hi  a  river  monitor 
up  "  China  way."  That's  all  anybody  seems  to  know 
about  him,  and  it  is  suspected  that  he  has  his  own 
reasons  for  keeping  a  clove  hitch  on  his  tongue  about 
himself. 


CAPTAIN  DINSHAW  PULLS  A  BOW     35 

There  are  legends  about  fortunes  which  have  been 
made  out  of  bits  of  news  gleaned  from  conversations 
before  the  bar  of  the  Cuartel.  The  lampman  of  a 
Blackpool  tramp  remarked  over  his  peg  of  rum  that 
his  skipper  liked  smoked  eels  for  breakfast  and  was 
taking  on  a  cargo  of  best  steaming  coal  for  Kamrangh 
Bay.  This  knowledge  enabled  Togo  to  destroy  the 
Baltic  fleet  in  the  Tushima  Straits.  And  a  stevedore 
made  something  like  a  million  dollars  out  of  a  cargo  of 
canned  salmon  by  hearing  some  cockney  give  his 
theory  about  how  the  blockade  could  be  run  to  Port 
Arthur. 

Vanderzee  made  some  of  his  profits  out  of  a  little 
room  at  the  far  end  of  his  bar,  where  a  man  could  sit 
hidden  by  tawny  tapa  curtains  rove  on  a  bamboo  pole, 
and  have  privacy  while  he  heard  what  was  being  said 
at  the  bar.  The  room  had  a  marble-topped  table  and 
two  chairs. 

Two  men  were  inside  of  an  afternoon,  playing  at 
cribbage.  One  was  short  and  heavily  built,  with 
powerful  shoulders  threatening  to  break  through  the 
seams  of  his  white  drill  jacket.  His  black  hair  was 
clipped  close  to  his  skull,  making  his  ears  appear  to 


36  ISLE  O'  DREAMS 

stick  out  amazingly.  He  had  black  moustaches  which 
grew  down  over  his  mouth,  masking  it.  His  face  was 
brown  and  rough  hewn.  A  straw  hat,  curled  up  into 
a  grotesque  shape,  lay  at  his  feet  like  some  distorted 
bivalve.  Its  owner  had  an  air  of  authority  about 
him,  even  a  touch  of  dominance  in  the  way  he  scanned 
his  cards  or  moved  the  pegs  in  the  board.  When  his 
arm  went  out  to  the  table,  it  moved  with  a  ponderous 
steadiness.  His  brown  and  hairy  hand  had  the  slow, 
powerful  sweep  of  a  derrick-boom. 

His  companion  was  thin  and  angular,  quick-eyed 
and  nervous  in  his  movements,  as  though  he  moved  on 
a  gear  of  higher  speed  than  his  opponent  in  the  game. 
He  crouched  over  the  table  when  he  shuffled  the  cards 
or  played  them,  without  lifting  his  elbows  from  the 
table,  in  the  fashion  of  a  jealous  dog  with  a  bone.  He 
wore  a  blue  cap  with  a  polished  black  visor,  tilted  back 
on  his  head,  giving  him  a  rakish,  devil-may-care  aspect. 
His  long  and  lean  face,  cut  with  wrinkles,  was  twisted 
into  a  sly  grin,  as  if  he  thought  he  had  the  advantage 
of  the  other  man. 

The  tapa  curtains  were  closed.  The  alcove  was 
lighted  from  two  of  the  narrow  windows,  cut  so  high 


CAPTAIN  DINSHAW  PULLS  A  BOW      37 

in  the  wall  that  they  gave  no  view  of  the  Mole  and  the 
street  outside  unless  a  man  were  to  climb  on  a  chair  and 
get  his  shoulders  on  a  level  with  the  bamboo  rafters, 
where  the  tiny  lizards  prowled  in  the  dust  and  hunted 
flies. 

The  roar  of  the  docks  surged  through  dull  and 
confused,  a  medley  of  clanking  hatch-covers,  com- 
plaining tackle,  deep-throated  protests  of  donkey- 
engines,  outlandish  commands  from  stevedores,  and 
the  yelps  of  high-strung  little  tugs  bossing  the 
lighters. 

Vanderzee  pottered  at  his  books  behind  the  bar, 
smoking  a  china  pipe.  His  watchful  eye  was  on  his 
Chinese  boy  polishing  the  brasswork  of  the  taps.  The 
last  of  the  noon  idlers  had  gone,  and  the  door  leading 
to  the  Mole  was  shut  against  the  hot  breeze  lifting  from 
the  sun's  glare  on  the  river. 

Then  a  beam  of  light  whipped  across  the  floor  with  a 
shuffle  of  feet  on  the  stone  steps  outside.  Captain 
Dinshaw  tottered  in,  gasping  for  breath  and  shaking 
with  excitement. 

"  Van ! "  he  cried ,  weakly,  making  for  the  bar.  "  I'm 
rich!" 


38  ISLE  O'  DREAMS 

The  black  man  grunted,  and  put  his  pipe  in  his 
mouth,  staring  past  Dinshaw  at  the  door  as  if  he  ex- 
pected to  see  a  pursuing  party  burst  in  and  attack  the 
old  man,  who  seemed  spent  from  running. 

"Who's  der  drouble?"  he  growled.  "For  v'y  you 
roon?" 

"I've  hauled  the  wind!"  cried  Dinshaw,  dropping 
his  parcel  on  the  bar,  and  throwing  up  his  hands  in  a 
gesture  of  wild  delight. 

"My  luck's  turned!    I'm  a  rich  man,  I  tell  ye!" 

"Veil,"  remarked  Vanderzee  with  stolid  calm.  "If 
you  puy  a  monkey  in  some  oder  blaces,  don'd  pring 
him  here  to  me.  You  vant  me  droubles  to  haff  der 
bolice  mit,  hey?  A  few  trinks  you  get,  der  sun  your 
het  in,  und — dronk  der  Cuartel  in  und  my  license  I 
loose  maype." 

"I'll  make  ye  rich!"  persisted  Dinshaw,  in  his  high- 
pitched,  quivering  voice,  and  giving  no  heed  to  the 
admonitions  of  the  black  man  and  not  in  the  least 
disconcerted  by  the  lack  of  welcome.  "I'm  goin'  to 
my  island!" 

"Der  more  kvicker,  der  more  petter,"  said  Vander- 
zee, and  humped  his  shoulders  up  with  a  convulsive 


CAPTAIN  DINSHAW  PULLS  A  BOW      39 

shrug.  "Maype  you  prink  it  back  und  anchor  it  off 
der  lighthouse,  hey?" 

"  Jarrow'U  take  me  in  the  Nuestra"  continued  Din- 
shaw,  now  as  if  talking  to  himself.  "I'll  be  rich  and 
have  good  soup  for  supper.  I've  got  the  tide  this 
time,  an'  no  mistake.  It's  turned  for  me,  as  I  allus 
said  it  would,  and  Jarrow'll  head  out  for  my  island. 
I  tell  ye,  man,  it's  all  settled.  Have  ye  seen  Jarrow?  " 

"  Charrow  petter  nod  see  you.     Grassy  you  iss." 

"He'll  want  to  see  me,  an'  don't  forget,"  said  Din- 
shaw,  wagging  his  head.  "  Jarrow's  the  man  for  me 
and " 

The  tapa  curtains  were  thrust  aside  violently,  and 
the  short,  squat  man  with  clipped  hair  stood  between 
them,  glowering,  one  hand  gripped  into  a  fist,  and  the 
other  holding  the  swaying  fabric. 

"What's  this  of  me  and  the  Nuestra?"  he  roared. 
His  moustaches  puffed  out  at  each  word,  and  his  jaw 
lifted  to  a  pugnacious  angle  as  he  threw  back  his 
head.  He  screwed  up  his  eyes  into  a  sort  of  malevo- 
lent grin  which  did  not  extend  below  the  bridge  of 
his  nose. 

Dinshaw  blinked  at  him  for  a  minute,  taken  aback 


40  ISLE  O'  DREAMS 

by  the  picture  of  this  man,  who  seemed  about  to  charge 
into  the  room  after  him. 

"You  said  you'd  go,"  said  Dinshaw. 

"You  lay  off  this  blasted  chin-chin  about  me  and  my 
schooner ! "  raged  Jarrow.  "  I've  heard  enough  of  it ! " 

"But  I'm  in  soundin's,  cap'n.  We're  bound  out  in 
the  Nuestra  for  the  island!  We're  goin " 

"Git  out!"  snapped  Jarrow,  and  clumping  out  into 
the  room,  lifted  a  hairy  fist  at  the  old  man.  But  Din- 
shaw held  his  ground,  and  as  Vanderzee  cried  out  to 
take  care,  the  captain  merely  pushed  the  old  man 
back  with  a  snort  of  rage. 

"But  it's  all  settled,  I  tell  ye!"  insisted  Dinshaw. 
"Hard  and  fast.  We're  to  go " 

"Then  go!"  snarled  Jarrow.  "Go  jump  off  the 
Mole,  and  give  me  some  rest  and  quiet.  I  got  other 
things  to  'tend  to.  How'm  I  to  git  a  charter  for  the 
Nuestra,  with  you  and  yer  slack  jaw  runnin'  wild  up 
and  down  the  waterfront  tellin'  all  hands  and  the 
ship's  cook  I'm  goin'  to  yer  blasted  island  hi  my 
schooner?  Hop  in  the  river,  but  keep  clear  o'  me  and 
mine !  Won't  have  it  from  ye ! " 

"Der  sun  his  het  in,"  said  Vanderzee,  with  a  sig- 


CAPTAIN  DINSHAW  PULLS  A  BOW     41 

nificant  nod  toward  Dinshaw.  He  wanted  to  avoid 
trouble.  "He  iss  crassy." 

The  tall,  thin  man  now  parted  the  curtains  and 
came  out,  his  long  legs  moving  stiffly  across  the  floor. 
He  glanced  at  Dinshaw  with  a  sneering,  wicked  eye  and 
sniffed  contemptuously.  He  gave  the  twisted  straw 
hat  to  Jarrow,  who  pulled  it  open  and  clamped  it  over 
his  clipped  skull.  They  both  turned  to  the  bar. 

"Ye  said  ye'd  go,"  piped  Dinshaw.  "Ye  allus  said 
ye'd  take  me,  an'  now's  the  chance.  I  ain't  goin'  to 
stay  with  Prayerful  Jones  no  more.  I'm  goin  to  pack 
my  dunnage  an'  take  it  aboard  the  Nuestra" 

"There  ye  go!"  cried  Jarrow,  swinging  toward  him, 
and  extending  a  brawny  arm  wrathfully.  "Ye  make 
fast  to  me  like  a  devilfish!  That's  the  tune  ye've  been 
singin'  for  years!  'Said  ye'd  goT  Same  old  story! 
Why,  I " 

He  paused,  as  if  at  a  loss  for  words  to  express  his 
disgust,  and  pulled  a  cigar  from  his  pocket.  He  bit 
the  end  from  it  with  a  twisting  motion  of  his  head. 
The  tall  man  sighed  wearily. 

"Ach!"  said  Vanderzee.  "No  harm.  Who  iss  to 
giff  mind  to  vat  he  say?  He  iss  crassy." 


42  ISLE  O'  DREAMS 

"There's  a-plenty  to  give  mind  to  it,"  snarled 
Jarrow.  "Didn't  I  lose  a  charter  last  dry  season  to 
bring  wood  from  Mindoro?  What  with  this  booby- 
bird  goin'  round  Manila  with  word  I'm  to  take  the 
Nuestra  to  his  fool  island,  who's  to  want  my  boat? 
Here  I  am  now,  lookin'  to  sign  up  a  gover'ment  hay 
charter,  and  he'll  put  me  high  and  dry  if  this  word  is 
passed  along  again.  I  won't  have  it.  I'll  see  the 
police." 

"Can't  ye  let  me  tell ?"  began  Dinshaw. 

"Come  along  of  me,  Peth,"  safd  Jarrow.  The 
angular  man,  who  had  arranged  the  upper  part  of  his 
body  in  such  manner  that  the  bar  afforded  possibilities 
for  rest,  unfolded  himself  and  moved  toward  his  com- 
panion. 

"I'll  make  ye  all  rich,"  wailed  Dinshaw. 

"You'll  cost  me  a  pretty  penny,  that's  what!"  ex- 
ploded Jarrow,  turning  back  from  the  door.  "I  never 
said  I'd  take  ye,  and  ye  can  git  that  out  of  yer  fool 
head!  Here  I  am,  kickin'  my  heels  around  port  and 
my  schooner  feedin'  barnacles  off  the  breakwater,  all 
'cause  ye've  got  somethin'  chafm'  yer  top-hamper.  I 
won't  stand  for  it  no  more." 


CAPTAIN  DINSHAW  PULLS  A  BOW     43 

"But  I  got  a  man  to  take  us,"  pleaded  Dinshaw,  go- 
ing after  him.  "A  man  said  he'd  charter  the  Nuestra 
and  we'd  all  go.  Two  men  and  a  lady  it  was,  up  at 
the " 

"Oh,  I've  heard  enough  of  yer  cock-and-bull  yarns," 
retorted  Jarrow,  who  was  not  averse  to  freeing  his 
mind  on  Dinshaw.  "What  the  devil  do  ye  want  to 
make  fast  to  me  fer!  I  don't  want  ye  traversin'  round 
charterin'  my  schooner  and  me.  Makin'  jokes  for  the 
loafers  up  on  the  canal.  Ye  done  that  once  before,  and 
ye'll  do  it  again.  I'll  have  the  police  on  ye!  It's 
about  time  Prayerful  Jones  was  shut  of  lettin'  loose  his 
bums  and  lunatics  on  us  folks  with  property." 

"No  harm,"  said  Vanderzee,  soothingly. 

"I  say  it  is  harm!  I'm  hailed  whurever  I  go  about 
this  business  of  the  old  un's  island,  Van!  Just  'cause 
I've  got  a  schooner,  it's  Jarrow,  Jarrow,  Jarrow !  I'd 
look  fine  and  smart  cruisin'  round  for  a  P.  D.  island, 
wouldn't  I?  Now  tell  me  that?  " 

"It's  a  lie!"  cried  Dinshaw.  "Them  geodetic 
youngsters  didn't  look  for  my  island,  an'  what's  more, 
they  wouldn't  know  it  if  they  found  it.  That's  why 
they  come  back  with  a  'Position  Doubtful'  report. 


44  ISLE  O'  DREAMS 

Think  I'm  goin'  to  let  them  young  whippersnappers 
know  about  my  island  so  they  can  find  it?  Find  it! 
I  can  find  it  with  a  bone  quadrant  and " 

"Find  Tophet!"  yelled  Jarrow,  and  turned  to  the 
door. 

"Look  here!"  shouted  Dinshaw,  reaching  into  his 
pocket  and  fishing  out  the  bill  he  got  from  Locke  for  his 
picture.  "I  can  prove  it!  Here's  money,  planked 
down,  and  more  where  it  comes  from.  I'm  to  go,  I 
tell  ye,  an'  if  ye  don't  want  none  of  it,  I'll  see  Hood 
about  a  boat.  I  thought  ye  was  a  friend  of  mine, 
Jarrow,  so  I  come  to  ye.  This  man  I  got  could  buy 
your  old  schooner  and  a  hundred  like  her,  an'  never 
miss  the  money.  He  asked  for  a  boat  and  I  said 
Jarrow,  an'  when  the  young  lady  asked  who's  to 
skipper  it,  I  said  Jarrow's  the  man,  an'  Peth  for  mate, 
an'  he  sung  out  for  me  to  bring  ye  up  to  the  tavern  an' 
sign  the  charter.  I'll  say  no  more — I'll  see  Hood." 

"What's  this?"  demanded  Jarrow,  turning  back  to 
stare  at  the  bill.  Vanderzee  leaned  over  the  bar,  and 
Peth  craned  his  neck  forward,  maintaining  his  eternal 
grin.  They  had  never  seen  Dinshaw  with  so  much 
wealth  before. 


CAPTAIN  DINSHAW  PULLS  A  BOW     45 

"Money!"  piped  Dinshaw,  triumphantly. 

"Has  he  gone  plumb  loco?"  asked  Jarrow,  looking 
at  Vanderzee. 

"Dot  money  ain'd  crassy,"  said  the  black  man. 

"Where'd  ye  git  it?"  asked  Jarrow,  reluctantly 
gentle. 

"A  rich  man  at  the  Bay  View — with  a  young  lady 
and  a  young  man  in  a  helmet.  I  told  'em  about  the 
Wether  all  and  they  give  me  this  money  to  buy  clothes, 
and  sent  me  on  the  run  for  you.  They  want  to  go  to 
the  Golden  Isle.  I  better  see  what  Hood's  got  for 
charter." 

"You  better  stay  right  here,"  said  Jarrow,  pushing 
Dinshaw  back  toward  the  bar.  "  I'm  goin'  to  look  into 
this." 

"I'll  see  Hood,"  persisted  Dinshaw. 

"Luff!"  commanded  Jarrow,  holding  out  his  arms 
to  head  Dinshaw  off  from  the  door.  "You'll  see  me! 
You've  been  usin'  me  and  my  schooner  long  enough, 
and  if  there's  anything  in  this  yarn  of  yours,  it's  mine. 
Who's  this  man?" 

"He's  a  rich  man,  and  he'll  take  us,"  said  Dinshaw. 

"I'd  believe  ye  sooner  if  ye  said  ye  saw  pink  ele- 


46  ISLE  O'  DREAMS 

phants,"  said  Jarrow.    "  Git  down  to  cases.    What's 
his  name?"  , 

"Money  talks,"  suggested  Vanderzee. 

"Moonshine!"  declared  Peth. 

"His  name's  Locke,"  said  Dinshaw.  "Will  ye  go, 
Jarrow?  I'll  make  ye  all  rich." 

"Now  what  did  this  Locke  man  say?"  demanded 
Jarrow.  "I  don't  want  any  ravin's.  I  want  facts, 
straight  out,  so  you  come  up  into  the  wind.  What'd 
he  say?" 

"He  said  to  look  sharp  about  it,"  said  Dinshaw, 
blinking  at  Jarrow,  a  trifle  confused  at  being  ques- 
tioned. "  Stores  and  crew — right  away,  and  be  ready 
to  sail  in  a  day's  time.  We  don't  want  no  soldierin'  on 
the  job.  It's  to  be  up  hook  and  away  and  look  lively. 
You'll  have  to  move  navy  style,  Jarrow.  You  know 
me." 

"Thinks  I'm  foremast  in  his  brig,"  said  Jarrow, 
with  a  leer  at  Vanderzee. 

"You  better  cut  over  across  the  river,"  said  Din- 
shaw, "and  tell  him  you're  ready  and  you'll  have  the 
Nuestra  alongside  the  Mole  by  dark  to  take  on  stores, 
or  he'll  have  another  boat.  He  said  somethin'  about 


CAPTAIN  DINSHAW  PULLS  A  BOW     4? 

knowin'  a  man  out  here  who  had  a  yacht,  comin'  down 
from  Japan." 

"Smoke,"  said  Peth. 

"I  wonder,"  remarked  Jarrow,  scratching  his  head. 
"  Sure  ye  didn't  lift  that  ten-peso  bill  from  Prayerful 
Jones?  I'll  be  bugs  myself  if  I  listen  to  you." 

"Hood'll  listen,"  said  Dinshaw,  crisply,  and  made 
a  new  effort  to  reach  the  door. 

"Vhy  don'd  you  to  der  Pay  Few  go?"  suggested 
Vanderzee. 

Jarrow  looked  at  himself.  "I'd  have  to  shift  my 
duds,"  he  said,  "and  I  ain't  for  huntin'  sharks'  eggs  on 
Looney's  say.  What  ye  think,  Peth?  Shall  we  fill  up 
that  way?" 

"  I  ain't  no  hand  for  them  swells,"  said  Peth.  "  You 
go,  cap'n,  an'  I'll  stand  by  down  here  with  Dinshaw." 

"Vaitl"  said  Vanderzee,  holding  up  a  black  hand. 
"Vot's  der  name?  Locke!"  He  stepped  into  a  tiny 
office  behind  the  bar.  They  heard  him  asking  the  clerk 
at  the  Bay  View  if  there  was  a  man  named  Locke  stay- 
ing there.  In  an  instant  he  was  back  again,  grinning. 

"Iss!"  he  exclaimed.  "So  soon  I  know,  I  hang 
opp." 


48  ISLE  O'  DREAMS 

"Well,"  said  Jarrow,  who  was  still  in  doubt  as  to 
what  he  should  do,  "  that's  somethin'  to  know.  May- 
be some  rich  tourist  did  fall  for  Looney's  yarn." 

Peth  went  back  to  the  bar  and  leaned  against  it  as 
if  he  had  made  up  his  mind  not  to  move  until  Jarrow 
reached  some  decision. 

"By  the  Mighty  Nelson,  I've  got  a  twist  in  my 
chains  to  take  a  run  over  to  the  hotel!" 

"Shoot,"  said  Peth,  displaying  more  interest  than 
he  had  at  any  time  since  Dinshaw  had  arrived. 

"Come  along,  Peth,"  said  Jarrow.  "I'll  git  into 
some  fresh  duds,  and  you  brail  yerself  up  to  look  smart, 
and  we'll  drift  over  in  a  carromata.  Will  you  wait 
here,  Dinshaw?" 

"I'll  wait,  Jarrow,  I'll  wait.  Tell  him  I  sent  ye,  and 
he'll  know.  It's  all  settled  right  enough  if  you  lay 
alongside  and  make  fast,  and  no  time  lost." 

"  See  that  he  don't  git  away,"  Jarrow  whispered  to 
Vanderzee.  "I  can't  take  no  chances  with  this — and 
keep  him  quiet — in  there." 

Pointing  to  the  alcove,  Jarrow  slipped  out  through 
the  door,  followed  by  Peth,  close  at  heel,  like  a  well- 
trained  dog  behind  his  master. 


CAPTAIN  DINSHAW  PULLS  A  BOW     49 

"It's  this  way,"  said  Jarrow,  as  they  made  their  way 
between  the  bales  and  barrels  among  the  workers  on 
the  Mole.  "  Maybe  Looney  give  'em  hot  shot  about 
this  island  and  they're  keen  to  go,  thinkin'  there's 
bunches  of  gold  there,  which  I  know  ain't  so.  But  it 
don't  matter  if  we  git  a  charter  at  fifty  a  day  or  so,  and 
drag  it  out  into  a  couple  of  weeks." 

"We'll  want  our  own  crew,"  suggested  Peth. 

"Bevins,"  said  Jarrow. 

"Shope,"  said  Peth. 

"And  Doc  Bird  for  steward,  and  Shanghai  Tom 
ships  as  cook." 

"  Right.  Ye  leave  it  to  me,  and  if  there's  anything 
in  it,  I'll  have  all  hands  come  dark." 

"I  ain't  hatchin'  no  chickens  on  what  Looney  said," 
cautioned  Jarrow,  "but  if  there's  a  man  who's  lit  up 
on  Looney's  island-o'-gold  yarn,  it  ain't  my  way  to 
throw  sand  in  his  eyes.  And  if  we  do  find  gold  that's 
two  tails  to  the  cat.  We'll  take  things  as  they  lay." 


CHAPTER  IV 

CAPTAIN  JARROW  GOES  CRUISING  IN  STRANGE  WATERS 

CAPTAIN  JARROW  and  Mr.  Peth  were  driven 
across  the  Bridge  of  Spain  and  up  Bagum- 
bayan   Drive   past   the  Walled  City  in  a 
carromata,  and  disembarked  from  the  native  rig  at  the 
edge  of  the  Luneta,  whence  they  proceeded  to  the 
Bay  View  Hotel. 

Jarrow  wore  a  new  white  suit,  squeaky  French  shoes 
of  yellow  hue,  and  an  aura  of  perfumed  soap.  Mr. 
Peth  felt  uncomfortably  respectable  in  blue  serge  and  a 
shirt  with  a  starched  collar. 

"I  might  ha'  stayed  back,"  grumbled  Peth,  as  they 
mounted  the  stoop  of  the  deserted  veranda. 

"You  lay  a  course  for  the  bar  while  I  brace  the  gent 
at  the  office,"  said  Jarrow.  "Don't  have  nothin'  to 
say." 

Mr.  Peth  measured  the  veranda  with  his  long  legs 
so 


CAPTAIN   J ARROW  GOES  CRUISING    51 

and  disappeared  into  the  bar,  while  Jarrow  squeaked 
his  way  into  the  palms  and  velvet  grandeur  of  the  sola, 
waving  away  the  boy  who  came  to  inquire  about  his 
baggage. 

"Yes,  sir,"  said  Wilkins,  rising  from  behind  the 
railed  desk. 

"You  got  a  man  here  named  Locke,"  asserted 
Jarrow,  seizing  the  railing  as  if  to  brace  himself  against 
a  shock. 

"Right-o,"  said  Wilkins.  "Name,  please?"  He 
reached  for  the  room  telephone. 

Jarrow  was  taken  aback  at  the  thought  of  being  so 
abruptly  thrust  before  a  stranger  he  could  not  see. 
He  had  no  plan  for  a  telephone  conversation  as  pre- 
liminary to  a  meeting  and  was  averse  to  having  his 
name  bandied  about  by  the  clerk. 

"You  can  say,"  he  suggested,  "it's  a  friend  of 
Captain  Dinshaw's,  who's  come  to  have  a  word  with 
him — strictly  private." 

Wilkins  pressed  a  button,  and  after  a  few  seconds 
announced:  "Mr.  Locke,  there's  a  gentleman  here  to 
see  you  from  Captain  Dinshaw.  He  wants  to  speak  to 
you  privately." 


52  ISLE  O'  DREAMS 

"Put  him  on  the  wire,"  said  Locke.  "Hello!  I 
guess  you've  got  the  wrong  party." 

"No,  sir,"  said  Jarrow.  "I  was  sent  to  see  you. 
I'm  from  Captain  Dinshaw." 

"Don't  know  him,"  said  Locke.  "What's  it 
about?" 

"The  island,"  said  Jarrow,  still  cautious. 

"Island!  Oh,  yes,  the  old  fellow  with  the  picture. 
All  right,  come  on  up." 

Jarrow  was  soon  before  the  door  of  the  Lockes'  suite 
and  was  ushered  into  a  room  which  overlooked  the  bay, 
the  windows  open  and  the  awnings  down.  He  saw 
a  young  woman  seated  before  a  small  table  covered 
with  tea  things,  and  a  tall  young  man  standing  near  by. 
Mr.  Locke  stood  just  inside  the  door,  but  what  warmed 
Jarrow's  heart  and  bolstered  his  courage  was  a  picture 
of  Dinshaw's  island  which  lay  on  a  divan.  There 
was  the  proof  that  the  old  captain  had  talked  with 
these  people. 

Locke  regarded  his  visitor  with  a  puzzled  air,  but 
concealed  his  surprise.  The  stranger  seemed  to  him  to 
be  strangely  furtive  and  sinister,  standing  in  the  half- 
light,  ears  twitching,  a  clipped  skull  thrust  forward  on 


CAPTAIN   JARROW  GOES  CRUISING     53 

a  short  neck  like  the  head  of  a  turtle  pushing  out  from 
a  shell. 

"I  didn't  get  your  name,  sir,"  said  Locke,  in  a 
friendly  way,  to  save  his  guest  embarrassment. 

"Jarrow's  my  name.  I  got  a  wreckin'  business. 
You  ask  anybody  in  Manila  about  me." 

"And  you  say  Dinshaw  sent  you?" 

"Yes,  sir.     I  take  it  you've  had  a  talk  with  him." 

"So  I  have." 

"  Then  it's  all  right.  Understand  he  mentioned  me." 

"You  are  Captain  Jarrow?  And  you  have  a 
schooner?  "  asked  Trask. 

"Jarrow ! "  exclaimed  Marjorie.  " Of  course !  Don't 
you  remember,  Dad?  Captain  Dinshaw  told  us  about 
Captain  Jarrow." 

"Oh,  yes,  yes,"  said  Locke.  "You're  the  man  he 
said  would  go  to  his  island.  This  is  my  daughter, 
Miss  Marjorie — and  Mr.  Trask." 

Jarrow  ducked  his  head.  Locke  had  introduced  the 
others  more  for  the  purpose  of  gaining  time  to  study 
this  hulking,  limp-kneed  man  who  stood  before  him 
like  a  gorilla  crouched  for  a  spring  and  squeezing  a 
soft  straw  hat  into  a  shapeless  lump  in  his  hands. 


54  ISLE  O'  DREAMS 

"Won't  you  sit  down?"  asked  Locke,  and  took 
his  hat.  Jarrow  allowed  himself  to  sink  carefully 
into  a  gold-backed  chair  of  doubtful  strength  and 
capacity. 

"Perhaps  you'll  take  a  cup  of  tea,"  suggested 
Marjorie. 

"No,  thanks,  ma'am.  I  don't  eat  nothin'  much  be- 
tween meals.  See  you've  been  buyin'  some  of  the  old 
cap'n's  pictures.  He's  a  oddity,  but  there's  gold  on 
that  island  of  his,  right  enough." 

"Think  so?"  asked  Trask. 

"  Know  so.  Scads  of  it.  He  brung  back  samples  in 
his  pockets.  I've  told  him  time  and  tune  again  I'd  go 
to  his  island,  and  what's  more,  I  would  ha',  only  I 
don't  own  all  my  schooner.  It's  been  busy  up  to  now 
with  gover'ment  work — hay  for  the  cavalry  posts 
down  south.  But  now  I'm  ready,  and  if  I  can  arrange 
a  charter,  I'll  cut  the  rate  to  the  bone,  just  to  help  Din- 
shaw — say  sixty-five  a  day,  gold."  He  looked  at  Locke 
inquiringly. 

"I  don't  know  much  about  such  things,"  said 
Locke,  vaguely. 

"Well,  a  hundred  a  day  is  the  usual  rate,"  went  on 


CAPTAIN    JARROW  GOES  CRUISING     55 

Jarrow,  "but  I'll  make  it  special  just  to  help  the  old 
man." 

"I  hope  you're  well  repaid,"  said  Locke.  "If  there 
is  gold " 

"Gold!"  exclaimed  Jarrow.  "Mr.  Locke,  ye're  in 
on  a  good  thing,  if  you'll  let  me  say  a  word  about 
it." 

"I'm  a  little  bit  mixed  up  on  this  thing,"  said 
Locke,  with  an  amused  smile  at  Trask.  "You  know 
more  about  the  proposition  than  I  do,  captain.  Of 
course,  Captain  Dinshaw  talked  with  Mr.  Trask " 

"I  hope  I  ain't  put  my  foot  in  anything,"  broke  in 
Jarrow.  "I  thought  from  what  Dinshaw  said  Mr. 
Trask  here  knew  all  about  it." 

"Mr.  Trask  knows  as  much  about  it  as  I  do,  and 
more,"  said  Locke.  "Say  whatever  you  like." 

"Then  it's  all  right,"  said  Jarrow,  obviously  re- 
lieved. "  'Tain't  a  piece  of  business  I'd  want  to  tell 
Tom,  Dick,  and  Harry,  if  I  had  the  weather  on  it  like 
you  have.  I'm  above  board  in  my  dealin's.  You 
ask  anybody  in  Manila  about  Captain  Jarrow,  the 
wrecker.  But  I  thought  for  a  minute  I'd  let  the  cat 
out  of  the  bag." 


56  ISLE  O'  DREAMS 

"No  damage  done,"  said  Locke.  "As  I  under- 
stand it,  you  intend  to  go  to  this  island  of  Dinshaw's." 

"We're  so  glad  to  hear  it,  Captain  Jarrow,"  said 
Mar jorie.  "  It  will  surely  make  the  old  man  happy." 

"  Thank  ye,  ma'am.  I  want  to  kind  o'  apologize  for 
jammin'  myself  in  like  this,  but  I'm  a  frank  man." 

Jarrow  paused,  and  throwing  one  foot  over  a  knee, 
stroked  the  seams  of  his  new  French  shoes  with  the 
tips  of  his  fingers. 

"Of  course,"  he  resumed,  "Captain  Dinshaw  and 
me,  we're  thick  as  three  in  a  bed.  Ask  anybody  in 
Manila  if  I  ain't  been  doin'  my  best  to  go  to  his  island. 
I've  offered  to  take  him  to  his  island,  time  and  time 
again,  but  he  wouldn't  hear  it,  'cause  he  knew  I  was 
makin'  money  with  the  Ntiestra — that's  my  schooner, 
the  Nuestra  Senoradel  Rosario — me  and  Peth,  my  mate, 
we  own  it  with  others.  In  the  wreckin'  business  it's 
touch  and  go.  You  got  to  be  on  the  spot,  and  there 
ain't  been  any  too  many  wrecks  out  this  way  lately. 
Let  me  go  away  for  a  week  or  two  on  this  island  busi- 
ness, and  I'd  likely  lose  somethin'  good.  But  with 
somebody  to  kind  o'  go  in  on  the  deal,  I'd  split  even  at 
sixty-five  dollars  a  day.  I'd  be  some  out  of  pocket, 


CAPTAIN   JARROW  GOES  CRUISING    57 

if  there  wa'n't  much  gold  there,  but  I  look  for  find- 
in'  it  in  a  big  way.  It's  a  open  and  shut  propo- 
sition." 

"It  sounds  interesting,"  said  Locke,  getting  more 
puzzled  as  to  why  Jarrow  should  call  on  him  to  take 
him  into  his  confidence  regarding  plans  about  Din- 
shaw's  island. 

"There's  big  money  in  it,"  said  Jarrow. 

"May  I  ask  why  you  think  so,  Captain  Jarrow?" 
inquired  Trask. 

Jarrow  turned  to  Trask  in  surprise.  The  question 
was  appallingly  direct,  and  Trask's  tone  was  crisp  and 
business-like. 

"I  know  it,"  said  Jarrow,  uncomfortably  aware  of 
being  pinned  down  to  definite  information. 

"But  I  don't  understand  why  you  should  take  the 
trouble  to  tell  us  about  your  proposed  trip,"  said 
Locke. 

"How?  "  Jarrow's  head  snapped  up  suddenly  and  his 
eyes  opened  in  a  wide  stare  at  Locke. 

"What  is  the  purpose  of  this  interview?"  de- 
manded Locke.  "  There  seems  to  be  some  sort  of  mis- 
take." 


58  ISLE  O'  DREAMS 

Jarrow  put  his  foot  down  slowly  and  sucked  his 
moustache  in  between  his  lips.  His  ears  twitched  and 
his  head  ducked  forward  as  he  made  a  swallowing 
movement  with  his  throat. 

"How's  that  again?"  he  whispered,  as  if  he  had  lost 
his  voice. 

"From  what  you've  said,  captain,  I  gather  you 
believe  I  have  something  to  do  with  the  matter  of  the 
island." 

Jarrow  blew  his  moustache  and  gave  a  suppressed 
sigh  of  agony. 

"Why — why,  Dinshaw — he  told  me  you  wanted  me 
and  my  schooner  to  go  to  his  island!" 

Trask  laughed  outright  in  spite  of  his  effort  to  keep 
still,  and  Marjorie  gave  an  exclamation  of  amazement. 
Locke  could  only  stare  at  Jarrow. 

"  Told  you  I  wanted  your  schooner !  He  certainly  is 
crazy!  Most  absurd  thing  I  ever  heard  of!" 

"Mr.  Peth,  my  mate,  he's  below  now,"  said  Jarrow. 

"Then  you  are  going?"  asked  Trask. 

"Am  I  goin'?  "  retorted  Jarrow.  " No !  I  can't  go 
on  my  own  hook.  I  thought  you  folks  was  goin' — 
that's  what  I'm  here  for." 


CAPTAIN  J  ARROW  GOES  CRUISING    59 

"It's  all  a  mistake,""  said  Locke.  "We  had  no 
intention  of  misleading  the  old  man." 

"It  will  be  a  terrible  disappointment  to  him," 
said  Marjorie.  "It's  a  ghastly  mistake  if  poor 
old  Captain  Dinshaw  really  believes  we  told  him 
we'd  go." 

"We  bought  his  picture  out  of  charity,"  said  Locke. 
"Mr.  Trask  here  is  a  mining  man,  and  was  interested 
in  his  story,  but  we  haven't  any  more  idea  of  going  to 
this  gold  island  than  we  have  of  going  to  the  moon. 
My  daughter  and  I  are  leaving  the  day  after  to- 
morrow for  Hong  Kong  to  connect  with  the  Pacific 
Mail.  We  were  going  this  morning,  but  missed  the 
Taming.1' 

^Thk'll  just  about  kill  old  man  Dinshaw,"  said 
Jarrow. 

"He's  so  pathetic,"  said  Marjorie.  "I'm  sorry  if 
we've  done  anything  to  disappoint  him.  I'll  always 
feel  guilty  about  it.  Just  what  did  he  say,  Captain 
Jarrow?  " 

"Why,  ma'am,  he  comes  runnin'  down  to  the 
Cuartel  not  an  hour  ago,  all  excited  up  about  you 
people.  'Jarrow/  he  says  to  me,  'I've  got  a  party 


60  ISLE  O'  DREAMS 

who'll  go  to  my  island  if  they  can  git  your  schooner — 
and  yours  is  the  only  one  to  be  had  for  love  or  money. 
I  know  you'll  lose  on  it,  seein's  you  got  a  new  gover'- 
ment  hay  charter  comin'  your  way,  but  can't  you 
strain  a  p'int  for  an  old  friend?  If  you  don't  stand  by 
me,  the  chance  is  gone.' 

"'Cap'n  Dinshaw,'  says  I  to  him,  'I'll  stand  by  if 
I  can  be  any  help,  lose  money  or  no.  If  me  and  my 
schooner's  what  you  need,  why,  she's  lyin'  off  the 
breakwater,  and  I'm  your  man.'  And  Peth,  my  mate, 
he  speaks  up,  and  says  to  him:  'Dinny,  don't  you  fret 
none,  but  leave  it  to  Jarrow.  He's  the  man  to  tie 
to  if  ye  need  help.' 

"  So  we  lays  a  course  for  up  here.  When  he  hears  of 
this,  it'll  just  about  kill  him  dead,  sure.  Happened  the 
same  way  once  before,  and  he  was  laid  up  in  the  Civil 
Hospital  for  a  month  with  brain  fever.  He  ain't  as 
strong  now  as  he  was  then,  neither.  If  I  had  the 
capital,  I'd  go  in  on  my  own,  but  I'm  up  to  my  ears  in 
debt,  and  as  I  said,  I'd  just  about  split  even  at  sixty- 
five  dollars  a  day.  But  I  can't  go  it  alone.  The  old 
man  he'll  just  fade  away  and  die,  if  you  don't  mind  my 
puttin'  in  my  oar  about  it.  When  he  gits  these  idees 


CAPTAIN   JARROW  GOES  CRUISING    61 

about  somebody  goin'  to  his  island,  and  then  it  falls 
through,  he  moans  and  moans " 

"Oh,  Dad,  I  wish  something  could  be  done!"  cried 
Marjorie.  "I'll  never  forgive  myself  if  we  go  away 
from  here  and  leave  that  old  man  grieving!"  She 
looked  at  Trask  and  caught  a  twinkle  in  his  eye. 

"Well,  I'll  send  him  back  to  the  States  if  you  feel 
that  way  about  it,"  said  Locke. 

"He  won't  go,"  said  Jarrow.  "We've  all  tried  to 
send  him  home.  I  offered  to  buy  his  ticket  some  time 
back,  but  he's  got  this  island  on  the  brain." 

"Where  is  the  island?"  asked  Trask.  "I  under- 
stand it  isn't  far." 

"Oh,  up  the  coast  a  piece,"  said  Jarrow.  "Take  a 
week,  say,  to  go  and  come  back." 

"A  week!"  said  Locke.  "I  had  an  idea  it  was  a 
long  way  off." 

"Shucks!"  said  Jarrow.  "No  great  shakes  of  a 
ways.  With  favourin'  winds,  a  week  would  do  it  easy. 
Of  course,  if  a  man  wanted  to  spend  a  lot  of  time  there, 
diggin'  around,  that's  a  cat  of  another  colour.  But 
with  a  couple  of  days  to  look  the  place  over  in  good 
shape,  ten  days  would  do  it  easy." 


62  ISLE  O'  DREAMS 

"Dad,  why  can't  we  go?"  asked  Marjorie.  "Just 
to  make  Dinshaw  happy!  You  said  I  might  go  any 
place  I  wanted  to  on  this  trip." 

"You  mean  to  tell  me  you  want  to  go  schoonering 
around  out  in  this  country,  Marge?"  Locke  was 
astounded. 

"It  would  be  great  fun." 

"Great  guns!"  said  Locke.  "Don't  you  know  a 
schooner  isn't  what  a  liner  is?  You  can't  have  suites 
and  stewards  and  fancy  things  to  eat." 

"You'll  find  it  comfortable  enough  on  the  Nuestra," 
said  Jarrow,  his  hopes  rising.  "A  good  Chink  cook, 
a  coloured  steward,  all  hands  a  room  to  theirselves. 
All  Cap'n  Dinshaw  needs  is  a  mouthful  of  sea-air  an' 
a  deck  under  his  feet.  There's  a  whallopin'  lot  of  gold 
there,  too,  or  I  miss  stays.  I  know  nobody  believes 
him,  but  they  didn't  believe  Columbus.  I  can't 
guarantee " 

"I'll  go,"  said  Trask,  "if  we  can  make  the  right  sort 
of  a  deal." 

"If  you  go,  I'm  in  on  it,"  declared  Locke. 

"Oh,  Dad,  you're  a  brick!    I  knew  you'd  go!" 

Trask  took  Locke  aside,  to  confer  privately.    "I 


CAPTAIN  JARROW  GOES  CRUISING     63 

want  you  to  come,  Mr.  Locke,"  he  said,  "but  I  don't 
want  to  have  you  stand  an  expense  which  may  be  a 
dead  loss " 

"I  won't  go  unless  I  can  stand  half,"  said  Locke. 

"Very  well,  but  I'd  rather  not  appear  in  the  matter 
as  the  leader,  because  if  I  did,  the  newspapers  would 
find  out  who  I  am  and  make  it  appear  that  my  com- 
pany was  backing  Dinshaw.  I  haven't  authority  to 
go  on  this  trip,  and  if  it  turned  out  badly,  a  failure 
would  be  credited  against  the  Consolidated,  and  it's 
a  very  conservative  company.  Here's  a  thousand 
dollars.  Will  you  draw  checks  against  it  at  your 
bank?  And  I'll  go  as  your  guest?  " 

"Certainly,"  said  Locke.  "I  have  an  account 
current  at  the  Chinese  bank,  which  was  to  be  trans- 
ferred to  Hong  Kong,  but  I'll  hold  it  here." 

"All  right.  You  give  Jarrow  a  check  as  an  advance 
and  to  buy  supplies.  We'll  close  the  deal  right  now." 


CHAPTER  V 
JARROW  DOES  AND  SAYS  QUEER  THINGS 

MR.  PETH  was  slinking  about  the  bar  like 
a  leopard  on  a  still  hunt  when  Captain  Jar- 
row  returned  from  his  conference  which  re- 
sulted in  a  tentative  charter  of  the  Nuestra  Senora  del 
Rosario,  with  himself  as  master  and  Peth  as  mate. 

Jarrow  was  in  a  state  bordering  between  exhaltation 
at  his  success  and  collapse  over  the  narrow  margin  by 
which  he  had  put  through  a  deal  which  at  one  time 
appeared  as  elusive  as  a  chimera. 

"  Give  me  a  Picon,  and  make  it  strong,"  said  Jarrow 
to  the  bar-boy,  disregarding  Peth,  while  he  scrubbed 
his  face  with  a  handkerchief. 

"Hook  up?"  asked  Peth,  edging  along  the  bar  until 
he  had  an  elbow  against  Jarrow's  side. 

"Mighty  Nelson!"  whispered  Jarrow.  "It  was  a 
lee  shore,  and  no  mistake.  Looney  lied." 

64 


JARROW  DOES  QUEER  THINGS        65 

"Lied!"  whispered  Peth. 

"They  neyer  told  him  they  wanted  us,"  continued 
Jarrow,  with  due  caution,  glancing  about  the  deserted 
bar.  "But  I  put  it  through.  They're  swells  and  no 
mistake." 

"Then  it's  a  go,  skipper?" 

"We  get  out  in  the  morning.  It's  to  be  quiet.  We 
clear  for  Vigan  with  passengers.  Take  rock  ballast 
this  afternoon,  and  git  stores  aboard.  Locke  give  me 
free  rein  for  everything  needed,  and  I'm  to  draw  on 
him  at  the  Hong  Kong-Shanghai  bank.  We  ought  to 
clean  up.  Pipe  down,  here's  the  dude  clerk." 

"You  saw  Mr.  Locke?  "  asked  Wilkins,  with  a  genial 
air,  as  he  came  in  from  the  office,  consumed  with 
curiosity. 

"Oh,  yes,"  said  Jarrow.    "He's  a  nice  man." 

"Raw-ther,"  said  Wilkins. 

"I  hear  he's  rich,"  said  Jarrow. 

Wilkins  smiled  knowingly.     "Millions,"  he  said. 

Peth  looked  at  Jarrow  quickly,  and  whistled  faintly 
through  his  teeth. 

"I  guess  you  know  me,"  said  Jarrow.  "I  been  up 
here  a  few  times  now  and  then  on  business." 


66  ISLE  0'  DREAMS 

"You're  a  Manila  man,  aren't  you?"  asked  Wilkins. 
"I  don't  place  your  name  but  your  face  is  familiar." 

"I'm  Captain  Jarrow,  head  of  the  Inter-Island 
Wreckin'  Company.  I  got  a  big  business,  in  a  way. 
Everybody  knows  me  in  my  line.  I'm  the  man  who 
done  the  divin'  for  the  gover'ment." 

"Oh,  yes,"  said  Wilkins. 

"  I'd  like  for  you  to  say  a  good  word  for  me,  if  it  falls 
your  way,  to  this  Mr.  Locke — and  Trask." 

"Sure,"  said  Wilkins. 

"Who  does  this  Mr.  Trask  happen  to  be?"  asked 
Jarrow. 

"Mining  man,"  said  Wilkins. 

"Oh." 

"  Yes,  he  was  talking  with  Looney  Dinshaw.  Seems 
he  came  out  here  from  China  to  look  after  the  island. 
I  knew  him  down  in  Colombo,  when  I  managed  a 
hotel." 

"Lookin'  for  the  island!"  exclaimed  Jarrow. 
"That's  news  to  me." 

"I  thought  maybe  that's  why  you  called,"  said 
Wilkins. 

"Well,  maybe  I  didn't  and  maybe  I  did.    I  have  to 


JARROW  DOES  QUEER  THINGS         67 

keep  a  closed  mouth.  But  if  you'll  say  a  word  for  me 
to  these  people — reliable  and  all  that — I  may  put 
somethin'  your  way  sometime." 

"I'll  have  a  gin,"  said  Peth. 

"  Glad  to  do  what  I  can,  sir,"  said  Wilkins.  "  Sup- 
port home  industry,  that's  always  been  my  motto.  If 
I'm  asked,  I'll  say  the  right  sort  of  thing." 

"Good  for  you,"  said  Jarrow.  "This  is  Mr.  Peth, 
my  mate.  We  got  to  slide,"  and  waving  his  hand  at 
Wilkins,  Jarrow  walked  toward  the  veranda  while 
Peth  gulped  his  gin  and  trailed  after  him  with  alac- 
rity. 

The  mate  overtook  the  captain  as  the  latter  headed 
across  the  Luneta  toward  Malecon  Drive,  where  the 
great  king  palms  offered  shade  from  the  bunding  sun- 
light. 

Jarrow  marched  along,  with  head  down,  staring  at 
the  gravel.  He  gave  no  heed  to  Peth,  who  overtook 
liim  and  fell  in  beside  him. 

"Millions,"  said  Peth,  presently. 

"You  ain't  got  the  brains  of  a  goose,  Peth." 

"What's  the  row?"  demanded  Peth. 

"Can't  you  hear  millions  spoke  of  without  actin* 


68  ISLE  O'  DREAMS 

like  a  blasted  whistlin'  buoy?  "  demanded  Jarrow,  sav- 
agely. 

"I  was  took  aback,"  said  Peth. 

"Took  aback!  This  ain't  no  business  for  a  man 
who's  got  to  blow  off  steam  in  public  the  minute  he 
sniffs  somethin'  good!  Things  like  that  might  bust  up 
the  whole  business — and  sixty  a  day  in  it!" 

"I  don't  see  what  I  done,  skipper,"  whined  Peth. 

"You  done  enough.  Couldn't  you  see  what  I  was 
drivin'  at?  You  ain't  got  half  an  eye.  That  dude 
clerk,  he  can  fix  us  solid  with  them  people.  What  if  he 
got  an  idea  we  was  out  to  make  money  off  'em?  This 
Locke'll  go  askin'  that  feller,  so  I  had  to  prime  him. 
Lucky  he  didn't  notice  your  fidgets  when  he  spoke  of 
millions." 

"You  go  make  a  mountain  out  of  it,"  said  Peth,  as 
they  turned  into  the  Malecon  and  proceeded  toward 
the  river. 

"Peth,  you  better  not  cross  the  bows  of  these 
people  till  we're  ready  for  sea." 

Peth  turned  his  sharp  face  toward  the  captain  and 
looked  down  on  him  with  searching  eyes,  a  trifle 
startled.  He  turned  away  and  spat  viciously. 


JARROW  DOES  QUEER  THINGS         69 

"I  won't  bite  'em,"  he  growled. 

"They  might  bite  you.  We  can't  reckon  on  what 
these  swells'll  cotton  to  in  a  deal  like  this." 

"Aint  I  big  enough  dude?" 

"You  ain't  got  no  diplomacy." 

Peth  gritted  his  teeth  gently.  "Don't  ye  want  me 
for  mate?"  he  demanded,  with  a  poor  attempt  to  con- 
ceal his  wrath. 

"What's  the  matter  of  you?"  asked  Jarrow,  looking 
at  him  in  surprise. 

"You  that's  sayin'  it.  You  talk  like  I'm  a  horned 
toad  or  somethin',  to  set  folks  on  the  run  the  minute 
they  clap  eyes  on  me." 

" Have  sense,"  cautioned  Jarrow.  "We  got  a  lot  to 
do  come  sundown.  Have  sense.  I'm  the  brain's, 
ain't  I?" 

"So  you  say,  cap'n." 

"I  got  my  own  meanin's.  What  if  this  Trask  and 
the  girl  come  down  aboard  this  evenin'  to  look  things 
over,  and  they  don't  like  your  looks  first  off?" 

"What's  my  looks  got  to  do  with  it?  Ain't  I 
dressed  up?" 

"Yes,  good  enough  for  me,  but  maybe  not  for  them. 


70  ISLE  O'  DREAMS 

They'll  put  a  hole  in  our  copper  plates,  charter  or  no 
charter,  if  they  take  a  dislike  to  you.  We  can't  take 
no  chances." 

"Might  as  well  see  me  first  as  last." 

"Oh,  no.  Plenty  of  reasons  for  'em  comin'  about 
on  the  whole  business  and  leavin'  us  high  and  dry, 
except  for  the  advance.  They  hop  aboard  a  liner — 
what  then?" 

"  Got  to  see  me  some  time." 

" Sure!  Once  to  sea,  they'll  take  things  as  they  find 
Jem.  But  it's  touch  and  go  with  us  until  we  clear  the 
bay,  and  don't  forget  that  for  a  minute." 

"What  they  want?    Sody  water  gents  for  a  crew?" 

"Whatever  they  want,  they'll  have  it,  them  swells." 

"Then  I  ain't  gallant  enough  for  the  likes  o'  you  and 
this  charter  party,  I  take  it,"  said  Peth,  his  anger  ris- 
ing. 

"  I  ain't  findin*  no  fault  with  you  myself,  Peth.  All 
I'm  gallied  about  is  what  the  others'll  think.  You're 
goin'  mate,  of  course " 

" Thanks,"  said  Peth,  curtly.  "You  talk  like  I  was 
ship's  boy,  not  owner  of  an  eighth  of  the  Nuestra. 
Who  helped  you  salve  her?  Who  like  to  broke  his 


JARROW  DOES  QUEER  THINGS         71 

back  doin'  of  it?  Peth  did,  that's  who.  Now  he  ain't 
good  enough,  once  ye  make  fast  to  a  millionaire." 

"You  talk  like  an  old  mitten  with  the  thumb  brailed 
up,"  said  Jarrow. 

"Where  was  this  millionaire  feller  when  ye  wanted  a 
man  to  stand  by  and  raise  the  Nuestra,  I'd  like ?" 

"Belay  that!"  said  Jarrow.  "I'm  talkin'  for  yer 
own  good.  There's  money  in  this  cruise  for  both  of  us. 
I  got  my  own  reasons,  and  that's  enough.  I'd  look 
smart  cuttin'  you  out  of  things,  wouldn't  I?  " 

"Well,  all  I  can  say,  cap'n,  ye  don't  need  to  take  me 
mate  if  ye  don't  want  to." 

"Steady  as  she  goes,"  said  Jarrow,  taking  him  by 
his  arm.  "You're  mate,  and  I  never  had  it  my  mind 
ye  wouldn't  go  mate." 

"All  right,  all  right,"  growled  Peth,  shaking  himself 
free.  "I  ain't  goin'  to  fuss  none.  I  don't  want  to  be 
gammin'  around  with  swells,  no  ways.  But  if  I 
thought  ye  wanted  to  beach  me " 

"Oh,  git  that  out  of  yer  head.  You've  got  to  git 
the  crew  together  and  I  got  to  see  Prayerful  Jones  afore 
Dinshaw  gits  back.  Then  I'll  git  the  old  man  aboard 
and  keep  his  jaw  close  to  the  wind.  We  got  to  run 


72  ISLE  O'  DREAMS 

this  thing  on  some  basis.  You'll  find  Doc  Bird  cookin* 
in  a  civilian  mess  out  Malate  way.  We  got  to  have 
him." 

"Will  Doc  cut  loose  from  a  shore  berth  for  what 
looks  like  a  v'yage  to  Vigan?" 

"He'll  cut  loose  from  anything  if  he  knows  I  want 
him,"  said  Jarrow,  in  a  tone  significant  of  no  doubts 
about  the  matter.  "He's  to  be  aboard  in  the  mornin' 
— to-night  would  be  better.  When  we  git  our  ballast 
we'll  lay  out  in  the  stream  again.  It's  safer  from 
talk." 

"How  safer?" 

"  From  folks  nosin'  around.  We  can't  have  none  of 
the  crew  hangin'  'longshore,  ginnin'  up.  I'll  fix  the 
clearance  myself,  and  see  the  commissioner." 

"But  I'm  to  have  who  I  want  for'ard,"  said  Peth. 

"That's  it.    You  know  who  we  want." 

They  hailed  a  banca  and  were  rowed  across  the  river, 
making  a  landing  over  a  tier  of  cascos. 

"I'll  go  over  to  the  Cuartel  and  pass  the  word  for 
the  men  and  do  a  little  lookin'  myself,"  said  Peth. 

"Keep  Dinshaw  there  half  an  hour,"  suggested 
Jarrow. 


JARROW  DOES  QUEER  THINGS          73 

Peth  looked  at  him  suspiciously. 

"What's  the  game?" 

"Never  mind  me  or  the  game." 

"I  seem  to  be  kind  o'  out  on  the  aidge  o'  things," 
growled  the  mate. 

"You  keep  Dinshaw  from  shootin'  off  his  face,  that's 
all  you  got  to  do,  and  don't  let  Van  know  how  things 
swung  at  the  Bay  View.  I'm  goin'  to  keep  this  busi- 
ness under  gratin's." 

"  You  don't  need  to  fret,"  said  Peth.  "  I  ain't  fixin* 
to  break  nothin'  out,"  and  he  tracked  away  to  the 
Cuartel,  weaving  in  and  out  among  the  litter  of  goods 
on  the  Mole. 

Jarrow  stood  and  watched  him  disappear  into  the 
Cuartel.  "I  ain't  never  had  no  luck  with  him,"  he 
remarked.  "I  hope  he  breaks  his  fool  neck,  that's 
what  I  hope.  He'll  mess  things  up  for  me  yit." 


CHAPTER  VI 
MR.  PETH  Is  PARTICULAR  ABOUT  WHERE  HE  SLEEPS 

EARLY  in  the  morning,  when  Manila  was  turn- 
ing over  for  another  nap,  a  victoria  from  the 
Bay  View  took  Locke,  Trask,  and  Marjorie 
over  the  Bridge  of  Spain  and  through  Plaza  Moraga  to 
the  landing  steps,  where  the  tug  which  was  to  take  the 
Nuestra  Senora  del  Rosario  to  sea  was  waiting  to  put 
the  voyagers  aboard  the  schooner.  The  Nuestra  was 
at  anchor  down  the  bay. 

As  they  got  out  of  the  carriage  a  black  man  hopped 
ashore  from  the  tug  and  made  for  then:  baggage. 

"I'm  Doc  Bird,  the  steward,"  he  said.  "I  reckon 
yo'  all  is  fo'  Cap'n  Jarrow's  packet?" 

"We  are,"  said  Locke.     "Is  everything  ready?" 

"Never  gon'  be  no  readier,  sir,"  said  the  steward, 
who  looked  smart  in  a  suit  of  white  and  a  jaunty  cap. 
Instead  of  a  shirt,  he  wore  a  gaudy  cotton  sweater 

74 


MR.  PETH  IS  PARTICULAR  75 

with  stripes  running  athwart  his  body,  red  and  blue, 
after  the  manner  of  a  convict's  clothes. 

"Then  we're  off,"  said  Locke,  as  he  helped  Marjorie 
aboard,  while  Trask  superintended  the  job  of  getting 
their  bags  aboard,  at  which  task  the  native  crew  of 
the  tug  assisted  the  steward. 

In  a  minute  they  were  heading  down  the  river.  As 
they  cleared  the  old  transport  docks  they  made  out 
the  Nuestra  well  off  the  breakwater,  her  brown,  bare 
masts  rising  like  spires  from  her  black  hull,  and  the 
morning  sun  glinting  from  a  strip  of  brass  on  her  taff- 
rail.  They  could  see  busy  figures  aboard,  and  as  they 
drew  nearer  Captain  Jarrow  appeared  on  the  poop- 
deck  smoking  a  cigar.  He  was  all  in  white,  his  queer 
cockle-shell  straw  hat  fastened  to  a  button  of  his  coat 
by  a  cord. 

They  had  visited  the  schooner  the  night  before, 
under  the  pilotage  of  Jarrow,  before  Locke  had  signed 
the  agreement  which  was  practically  a  charter,  at  sixty 
dollars  a  day.  She  had  six  rooms  in  her  main  cabin 
in  addition  to  the  galley  and  lazarette,  and  while  they 
were  small,  they  were  comfortable  enough  and  satis- 
factory. 


76  ISLE  O?  DREAMS 

No  one  was  aboard  during  the  brief  visit,  but  Mr. 
Bevins,  the  second  mate,  and  one  man  of  the  crew. 
Bevins's  manners  were  ingratiating  and  he  wore  a 
constant  smile,  due  more  to  some  defect  of  his  facial 
muscles  than  chronic  geniality.  The  other  man  was  a 
big  fellow  with  much  tattooing  on  his  hands  and  wrists. 
Captain  Jarrow  summoned  him  to  the  cabin  door  and 
introduced  him  as  "Shope,  who  was  to  go  b'sun." 

"There's  Captain  Dinshaw!"  cried  Marjorie,  as  the 
patron  steered  the  tug  to  come  alongside. 

Dinshaw  had  popped  up  over  the  starboard  bulwark, 
and  watched  the  tug  maneuver  with  critical  eye. 

"And  all  dressed  up,"  said  Trask,  smiling,  as  he  ob- 
served that  Dinshaw  wore  a  white  suit  and  sported  an 
official-looking  cap  with  a  white  top. 

"The  old  man  shore  thinks  he's  the  skipper,"  re- 
marked Doc  Bird. 

"How's  that?"  asked  Locke. 

"He's  a-bossin'  everybody,"  replied  the  steward. 
"Thinks  he's  in  his  old  brig  what  he  lost  on  his  island." 

"The  old  dear ! "  said  Marjorie.  " Isn't  he  pathetic? 
He  looks  thoroughly  happy!" 

Dinshaw  stood  with  his  hands  on  the  bulwark,  and 


MR.  PETH  IS  PARTICULAR  77 

looked  down  at  the  tug,  his  head  askew  like  an  ob- 
servant fowl. 

"Don't  scratch  the  paint!"  he  shouted  to  the 
patron  of  the  tug.  "  Mind  what  ye're  at ! " 

"Paint!"  laughed  Locke.  "Couldn't  hurt  that 
paint  with  a  crowbar." 

"Glad  to  see  ye  in  good  time,  Mr.  Locke,"  called 
Jarrow,  and  then  stepped  back  to  escape  the  smoke 
from  the  tug's  funnel,  calling  to  Peth  to  see  that  the 
ladder  was  put  over. 

After  a  deal  of  fussing  and  bawling  on  the  part  of  the 
tug's  crew,  she  was  nestled  alongside  the  schooner,  and 
Jarrow  was  at  the  rail  to  assist  them  over  the  side. 

"I  told  ye  I'd  go,"  said  Dinshaw,  proudly,  taking 
off  his  cap  to  Marjorie  as  she  jumped  down  to  the  deck. 
"This  lady  knows,  and  she  wanted  to  go  to  my  island. 
Thank  ye,  ma'am!  Good  morninV 

' '  Indeed  I  do  want  to  go, "  laughed  Marjorie.  "  And 
I  hope  we'll  find  your  island,  too,  captain." 

"Thank  ye,  ma'am.  We'll  find  it  right  enough," 
and  with  a  hasty  bow  he  waddled  forward  impor- 
tantly, to  oversee  the  getting  of  the  anchor  and  the 
passing  of  the  towing  hawser. 


78  ISLE  O'  DREAMS 

But  the  tug  remained  alongside  after  Locke  and 
Trask  had  climbed  over  into  the  waist  and  the  baggage 
was  transferred  by  Doc  Bird. 

"Oh,"  said  Jarrow,  as  the  patron  mounted  the 
ladder  and  grinned  at  them,  hat  in  hand,  "this  boy 
wants  his  towage." 

"How  much?"  asked  Locke,  taking  out  a  large  roll 
of  yellow  American  bills. 

"I'd  give  him  a  check,"  advised  Jarrow,  "if  you've 
got  your  book." 

"All  right,"  said  Locke,  and  he  followed  Jarrow  into 
the  cabin  while  Trask  and  Marjorie  went  to  the  poop- 
deck.  The  Nuestra  looked  clean  as  a  pin  and  fresh  as 
a  maker's  model.  Her  decks  had  been  scrubbed  until 
the  caulking  in  the  seams  looked  like  lines  of  black 
paint  on  old  ivory.  Her  standing  rigging  had  been 
newly  tarred,  her  bright  work  polished,  and  the  water 
casks  lashed  in  the  waist  had  their  hoops  painted  a 
bright  yellow,  not  yet  dry.  New  hemp  hung  in  the 
belaying  pins.  The  roof  of  the  cabin,  covered  by  a 
tarpaulin,  gleamed  with  oil  and  yellow  paint.  She  had 
been  scrubbed  and  freshened  until  she  had  quite  the 
aspect  of  a  yacht. 


MR.  PETH  IS  PARTICULAR  79 

"This  beats  waiting  around  Hong  Kong,"  said  Mar- 
jorie,  as  they  stood  looking  forward.  She  looked 
quite  nautical  in  a  suit  of  white  duck  and  a  yachting 
cap  pinned  to  her  flaxen  hair.  Trask  thought  she 
appeared  entrancingly  healthy  and  "out  of  doors." 

"It's  going  to  be  a  jolly  fine  trip,"  said  Trask.  "I 
hope  you'll  enjoy  it  one  hundredth  as  much  as  I  do." 

"But  gold-mine  hunting  is  no  novelty  to  you,"  she 
said. 

"  It's  the  first  time  I've  actually  gone  to  sea  in  search 
of  a  gold  mine.  And  there  are  other  reasons  which 
make  this  trip  unique." 

"You  are  absurdly  reticent,  Mr.  Trask." 

"Under  the  circumstances  it  would  be  unfair  to 
state  the  facts  in  their  blunt  simplicity,"  he  retorted, 
with  a  smile. 

"You  mean  father  and  me?" 

"Mostly  you,"  and  he  moved  forward  abruptly  to 
tell  Doc  Bird  to  put  his  bags  in  his  room. 

Locke  and  Jarrow  came  out  of  the  mam  cabin  and 
paid  off  the  patron  of  the  tug. 

"Well,  we're  off,"  said  Locke,  coming  aft,  as  Jarrow 
went  forward  to  oversee  the  getting  of  the  anchor  and 


8o  ISLE  O'  DREAMS 

the  passing  of  the  hawser.  Bevins  came  aft  presently 
and  took  the  wheel,  and  in  a  few  minutes  the  Nuestra 
started  down  the  bay  at  the  end  of  her  leash. 

Well  under  way,  Jarrow  called  Peth  to  the  main 
cabin  and  introduced  him  to  Marjorie,  Locke,  and 
Trask,  who  had  been  summoned  below  for  the  assign- 
ment of  their  rooms. 

Peth  stood  in  the  doorway  and  bowed,  looking  quite 
smart  and  respectable  in  clean  dungarees,  and  though 
he  said  nothing  but  "How  de  do,"  he  gave  the  impres- 
sion of  affability  mixed  with  shyness.  He  missed  no 
detail  of  Trask's  clothing,  and  seemed  to  measure 
the  young  man's  strength  as  he  looked  him  up  and 
down. 

"Now,  Miss  Locke,  you'll  have  this  room  aft,  to 
port,  next  is  Mr.  Locke,  and  then  Mr.  Trask.  Then 
comes  the  cabin  stores.  I'll  be  aft  to  starboard,  Mr. 
Peth  and  Captain  Dinshaw  next,  the  cook  and  the 
steward,  and  the  galley 

"If  ye  don't  mind,  cap'n,"  interrupted  Peth,  "I'd 
not  want  to  bunk  with  the  old  man.  I  got  to  be  up 
and  around  nights." 

"All  right,"  said  Jarrow.     "There  are  two  bunks  in 


MR.  PETH  IS  PARTICULAR  81 

Mr.  Trask's  room  here.  Maybe  you  wouldn't  find  it 
out  of  the  way  if  Mr.  Peth  took  the  lower?" 

"Not  at  all,"  said  Trask.  "I'll  sleep  soundly 
enough." 

"  My  gear's  in  there  now,"  said  Peth,  and  he  went 
out  on  deck. 

"I'd  git  my  stuff  all  opened  up  and  stowed  while 
we're  in  the  bay,"  suggested  Jarrow.  "There  may  be 
a  swell  on  outside,  and  then  it's  goin'  to  be  hot  below 
as  the  sun  climbs.  Tom!  How's  that  coffee  comin' 
on?" 

The  fat  Chinese  cook  looked  out  from  the  galley,  a 
white  cap  on  his  head  and  an  apron  tied  about  him. 
He  grinned  pleasantly,  and  replied  that  the  coffee  was 
on  the  fire. 

"We  had  breakfast,"  said  Locke. 

"I'd  take  a  nip  of  coffee,"  said  Jarrow.  "Now 
then,  here's  Doc  Bird  to  help  open  your  gear.  Any- 
thing you  want,  ask  for  it,  and  you,  Doc,  keep  an  eye 
out  to  make  all  hands  comfortable.  I  got  to  go  up 
now." 

Trask  followed  the  captain  up  the  companion  and 
left  Marjorie  and  her  father  below,  until  he  was  called 


82  ISLE  O'  DREAMS 

to  have  his  coffee.  When  they  went  on  deck  again 
Corregidor  Island  was  astern,  rising  out  of  the  channel 
like  a  derelict  battleship. 

To  starboard,  close  aboard  beyond  the  stretch  of 
sun-dazzled  sea,  was  the  coast  of  Bataan,  with  the 
brown  fuzzy  mountains  behind  Mariveles  shouldering 
into  the  sky.  Point  Luzon  marked  the  limit  of  the 
land  over  the  starboard  bow,  and  on  the  port  side  the 
shining  China  Sea  reached  away  to  the  horizon. 

The  jib  and  foresail  were  already  set  although  the 
tug  had  not  cast  off.  Soon  they  began  to  fill,  and  as 
Peth  bawled  to  the  tug,  the  hawser  was  dropped,  and 
tooting  a  farewell,  the  little  boat  swung  in  a  wide  arc 
and  headed  back  for  Manila. 

Peth  came  aft  and  routed  Doc  Bird  from  under  the 
mainsail  boom  where  the  steward  sat  peeling  potatoes. 
Dinshaw  kept  moving  about,  repeating  the  orders  of 
the  mate,  or  talking  to  himself. 

The  crew  were  all  white,  in  accordance  with  the 
orders  of  Locke,  who  had  declared  that  he  did  not  want 
to  undertake  the  voyage  with  natives  forward. 

The  breeze  from  landward  died  as  the  main  was 
being  set,  and  the  Nuestra  began  to  roll  gently  as  she 


MR.  PETH  IS  PARTICULAR  83 

fell  off.  For  a  few  minutes  she  threatened  to  follow 
the  tug  back  to  Manila,  with  many  lurches  and  angry 
snappings  of  blocks. 

"We'll  git  a  clinkin'  good  breeze  from  the  southward 
when  we're  off  the  land,"  said  Jarrow,  glancing  aloft 
to  the  windvane  on  the  mizzen  truck.  It  was  flopping 
about  like  a  dead  fish  on  a  gaff. 

Before  long  the  foresail  began  to  fret  its  sheets,  and 
Bevins  got  her  head  to  seaward.  Then  there  came 
from  astern  a  hot,  puffy  breeze,  and  the  schooner  stood 
out  on  a  port  tack,  curvetting  prettily  as  her  sails  were 
trimmed  and  filled. 

One  of  the  crew,  hailed  as  Pennock,  now  came  aft 
and  took  the  wheel,  and  Bevins  went  forward.  Cap- 
tain Dinshaw  went  into  the  cabin,  and  looking  down, 
Trask  could  see  him  bent  over  the  table,  sucking  a  stub 
of  a  pencil  and  studying  a  sheet  of  paper. 

"  What's  the  bearin'  and  distance  of  Point  Luzon?" 
he  called  up  the  companion. 

Jarrow  looked  at  Locke  and  smiled. 

"Northwest,  five  miles,"  called  Jarrow,  after  a  look 
at  the  compass  and  the  land. 

"What  course  ye  steerin'?" 


84  ISLE  O'  DREAMS 

"Nor'wes'bywesV 

"Variation,  one  degree  east,"  remarked  Dinshaw, 
and  went  back  to  his  figuring,  talking  to  himself  and 
scratching  his  head.  From  his  conduct  since  sailing 
it  was  obvious  that  he  intended  to  hold  himself  aloof 
from  the  rest  of  the  party. 

"Thinks  he's  navigatin'/'  whispered  Jarrow,  with  a 
wink  to  Trask. 

"He  looks  a  lot  better  than  he  did,"  said  Locke. 
"Has  more  colour  and  walks  with  more  vigour." 

"Good  eatin',"  said  Jarrow.  "He  perked  right  up 
the  minute  he  come  aboard.  Acts  like  he's  master. 
Don't  do  no  harm,  only  Mr.  Peth  gits  rubbed  the 
wrong  way  sometimes.  I  say,  if  the  old  man  gits  any 
fun  out  of  thinkin'  it's  his  own  schooner,  what's  the 
odds?" 

"How  did  you  come  out  on  getting  anything  certain 
about  the  position  of  his  island?"  asked  Locke. 
"From  what  you  said  last  night  it  was  a  sure  thing." 

"Oh,  we  know  where  we're  goin'  right  enough,"  said 
Jarrow. 

"  Then  he's  given  you  some  more  data?  " 

"We  ain't  goin'  on  his  say-so.    He  give  me  the  leaf 


MR.  PETH  IS  PARTICULAR  85 

out  of  his  old  log,  with  his  noon  position  the  day  before 
he  was  lifted  off  his  course  by  the  typhoon." 

"Is  that  enough?" 

"We  ought  to  run  slap  into  his  island.  It's  one  of 
the  Capones,  off  the  Zambales  coast.  There's  a  whole 
flock  of  'em,  but  the  one  I  figure  on  stands  out  from  the 
rest,  from  what  I've  worked." 

"Wilkins,  at  the  hotel,  was  telling  me  the  geodetic 
people  couldn't  find  the  island." 

"Wilkins?"  Jarrow  turned  and  looked  at  Locke  in- 
tently. "Oh,  yes.  Did  he  say  anything  about  me?" 

"  Yes,  he  spoke  very  highly  of  you." 

"Well,  it's  this  way,"  said  Jarrow,  after  a  thought- 
ful pause.  "The  old  man  didn't  give  'em  the  right 
position.  He  said  he'd  piled  up  near  one  of  the  Sisters, 
just  to  the  south'ard  of  the  Little  Sister,  to  be  exact. 
But  that's  more'n  sixty  miles  north  of  where  the 
Wetherall  struck.  Ye  see,  the  old  man  didn't  want 
nobody  to  find  the  island  if  he  couldn't  go  himself. 
But  he's  all  right  now." 

Peth  came  up  the  weather  side  of  the  poop,  and  see- 
ing the  trio  with  the  captain,  turned  abruptly  to  go 
forward  again. 


86  ISLE  O'  DREAMS 

"  Did  you  want  to  see  me,  Mr.  Peth?  "  called  Jarrow. 

The  mate  stopped,  and  pushing  his  cap  to  the  back 
of  his  head,  grumbled  an  assent. 

"What  about?  "  asked  Jarrow,  leaning  his  elbows  on 
the  top  of  the  cabin  trunk. 

"I  wanted  to  speak  private,"  said  Peth,  grumb- 
lingly. 

"Well,  sing  out,"  said  Jarrow. 

"Thought  I'd  speak  to  ye  about  where  I'd  bunk, 
sir,"  said  Peth. 

"Didn't  we  settle  that?"  demanded  Jarrow,  with 
considerable  surprise. 

"Not  to  my  tastes,"  said  the  mate. 

"What's  the  trouble?" 

"I  thought  I'd  take  my  gear  out,  if  it's  all  the  same 
to  you,  sir." 

"Out  where?" 

"Out  of  that  room,  sir." 

"Where'd  ye  want  to  bunk?" 

"I  thought  I'd  bunk  for'ard.  Bevins  is  with  the 
men " 

"Well,  you're  the  mate,"  said  Jarrow.  "Ye  don't 
want  to  be  with  the  crew,  do  ye?" 


MR.  PETH  IS  PARTICULAR  87 

"I  thought  mebbe  if  I  moved  for'ard  I  wouldn't  be 
in  the  way." 

"Nobody's  said  anything  'bout  ye  bein'  in  the  way," 
said  Jarrow,  with  rising  temper. 

"I'd  be  a  heap  more  comfortable,  sir,"  insisted 
Peth. 

"I  won't  be  at  all  disturbed,"  said  Trask,  getting 
out  of  his  deck  chair  so  that  he  could  see  Peth. 

"I  reckon  I'd  rather  be  for'ard,"  repeated  the  mate, 
doggedly. 

Captain  Dinshaw  came  up  through  the  companion, 
and  started  toward  Peth,  glaring  at  the  mate. 

"What's  this?    What's  this? "  cried  Dinshaw. 

"Better  keep  quiet,  sir,  and  let  me  handle  it,"  said 
Jarrow  in  a  low  tone.  Then  to  Peth:  "If  ye  think 
ye'll  be  more  comfortable  for'ard,  Peth,  why,  that's 
your  lookout.  We'll  let  it  stand  that  way  till  we  talk 
it  over  and— 

"Bad  for  discipline  to  have  the  mate  for'ard  with 
the  crew,"  shouted  Dinshaw.  "Ye'll  stay  with  the 
afterguard,  Mr.  Peth.  I'm  master  here.  That's  all." 

"Who  is  skipper,  anyhow?  "  demanded  Peth. 

"I'm  skipper,"  said  Jarrow.     "No  use  of  gittin' 


88  ISLE  O'  DREAMS 

excited  up  this  way.  Captain  Dinshaw,  ye'll  please 
me  if  ye  go  below.  Now  we'll  go  for'ard  and  talk  this 
over,  Mr.  Peth.  I  won't  have  no  disputin'  aboard 
me."  He  hurried  after  Peth,  and  they  went  forward 
of  the  foremast,  talking  in  low  tones. 

"Captain  Dinshaw!"  said  Locke,  as  the  old  man 
started  to  descend  the  stairs  to  the  cabin. 

"Dad!"  warned  Marjorie.  "Don't  hurt  his  feel- 
ings." 

"Yes,  sir,"  said  Dinshaw. 

"Don't  you  want  to  go  to  your  island?"  asked 
Locke,  gently. 

"Yes,  sir." 

"Then  we  can't  have  this  sort  of  thing,  or  I'll  turn 
back  to  Manila.  Captain  Jarrow  is  in  command." 

"I  know  now,  sir,"  said  Dinshaw,  rubbing  his  fore- 
head with  his  hand,  as  if  to  brush  away  something 
which  affected  his  vision.  "It's  all  clear  in  my  head, 
sir — I  git  kind  o'  dreamy,  sir." 

"All  right,"  said  Locke.  "You'd  better  go  down 
and  keep  out  of  the  sun.  It's  all  right  this  time,  but 
you  know  we  must  not  have  a  division  of  authority. 
Captain  Jarrow  is  master." 


MR.  PETH  IS  PARTICULAR  89 

"Very  good,  sir."  And  Dinshaw,  somewhat  crest- 
fallen, went  below. 

"I  merely  wanted  to  take  a  hand  in  things,"  said 
Locke.  "Better  for  me  to  chip  the  old  man  and  keep 
him  quiet  than  for  Jarrow  to  give  him  fits." 

"And  I'm  as  well  satisfied  that  Mr.  Peth  is  going  to 
live  in  the  forecastle,  if  that's  a  measure  of  his  temper," 
said  Trask,  who  was  more  annoyed  by  the  mate's  re- 
quest than  he  allowed  the  Lockes  to  see. 

"I  didn't  like  his  looks  from  the  first," said  Marjorie. 

"Oh,  things'll  get  shaken  down,"  said  Locke.  " But 
I'll  give  Jarrow  to  understand  that  we  don't  want  to 
hear  any  more  quarrels." 

Trask  and  Marjorie  left  their  chairs  on  the  lee  side  of 
the  poop,  and  leaned  against  the  rail,  the  better  to  see 
what  was  taking  place  forward,  where  they  could  hear 
Jarrow  and  Peth  in  quiet  argument.  From  their 
gestures  it  was  plain  that  in  spite  of  Jarrow's  pleas 
Peth  was  still  obdurate. 

Pennock,  the  man  at  the  wheel,  gave  no  sign  that  he 
had  heard  any  of  the  conversation  aft,  but  stared  over 
the  top  of  the  cabin  trunk,  glancing  aloft  now  and  then 
at  the  sails,  and  watching  the  compass.  The  crew 


90  ISLE  0'  DREAMS 

were  busy  wetting  down  the  decks,  having  swept  them 
after  clearing  a  litter  of  rope  and  boxes. 

Soon  Captain  Jarrow  came  back,  looking  red  and 
flustered,  his  cigar  out  and  badly  chewed.  He  made 
an  attempt  to  light  it,  but  gave  up  the  attempt  and 
threw  it  over  the  side. 

"I'm  sorry  to  see  this  happen,  Mr.  Locke,"  said 
Jarrow  finally,  as  if  he  felt  that  he  must  say  something 
to  restore  a  pleasant  status. 

"You  know  I've  half  a  mind  to  put  back  to  Manila 
and  throw  him  ashore,"  said  Locke,  severely.  "We're 
here  for  pleasure,  Captain  Jarrow,  and  we  can't  have 
any  such  scenes.  My  daughter's  worried." 

"Oh,  Mr  Peth's  aU  right,"  said  Jarrow.  "His 
bark's  worse'n  his  bite.  He  feels  a  little  awkward  with 
you  folks  aboard,  that's  all.  It  was  the  old  man 
scraped  him." 

"I've  already  chipped  the  old  man  about  it,"  said 
Locke.  "I  wish  you'd  let  the  matter  drop.  What 
did  Mr.  Peth  decide  to  do?  " 

"He's  set  on  bunkin'  with  the  men,"  said  Jarrow. 

"All  right,  then,  he  can  mess  with  the  men,"  said 
Locke.  "We  won't  have  him  aft  at  all." 


MR.  PETH  IS  PARTICULAR  91 

"All  right,"  said  Jarrow,  and  fell  to  pacing  the 
weather  side  of  the  poop,  his  hands  clasped  behind  his 
back. 

In  a  few  minutes  Peth  came  clumping  down  the 
waist  and,  calling  two  of  the  crew,  went  into  the  main 
cabin.  There  was  a  banging  of  doors,  heard  above  the 
clatter  of  Shanghai  Tom's  chopping  tray,  and  then 
Peth  went  forward,  carrying  clothes  under  both  arms, 
followed  by  two  men  with  his  sea-chest. 

The  schooner  was  bowling  along  now  at  a  good  rate, 
inarching  away  from  the  land  steadily,  and  making 
little  leeway.  Trask  went  below,  ostensibly  to  have 
his  bag  unpacked,  but  really  to  have  a  talk  with  Doc 
Bird.  Also,  he  had  an  automatic  pistol  which  he 
thought  he  would  get  out  and  clean.  He  suspected 
that  it  would  do  no  harm  to  have  it  known  that  there 
were  weapons  among  the  "passengers." 


CHAPTER  VII 
TRASK  HAS  A  TALK  WITH  Doc  BIRD 

CALLING  Doc  Bird  from  the  galley,  Trask 
set  about  putting  his  things  in  order  in  his 
room,  and  sent  the  steward  inside  to  open  the 
biggest  bag,  which  was  secured  with  straps. 

"I  reckon  we  better  take  this  out,  sir,"  suggested 
Doc,  as  he  made  an  effort  to  get  the  straps  loose.  He 
found  it  hard  to  work  in  the  narrow  little  room. 
"No,"  said  Trask,  "open  it  in  here."  He  stood  in 
the  doorway,  and  let  the  door  rest  against  his  back, 
holding  it  partly  closed  with  one  hand.  It  was  his 
purpose  to  keep  Doc  shut  in,  and  so  be  able  to  question 
him  without  being  overheard. 

"Mighty  hard  to  open,"  said  Doc,  down  on  his 
knees,  struggling  with  the  straps.  It  was  hot  in  the 
room,  and  rather  dark,  as  the  deadlight  to  the  poop- 
deck  was  fogged  by  sea  water. 

92 


TRASK  HAS  A  TALK  93 

"You're  new  to  the  schooner,  aren't  you?"  asked 
Trask. 

"  Yassir.     I  jus'  shipped  fo'  the  roun'  trip." 

"How  long  have  you  known  Mr.  Peth?"  Trask 
kept  his  voice  low,  and  bent  down  to  Doc. 

"Yassir.  I  know  Mr.  Peth.  I  know  him  fo' a  long 
time." 

"Have  you  sailed  with  him  before?" 

"  Yassir.  I  been  along  with  Cap'n  Jarrow  an'  Mr.  Peth 
off  an'  on  six  years.  Got  a  key  fo'  this  hyar  satchel?  " 

"It  isn't  locked.    Just  press  the  lock  to  the  left." 

"You  mighty  ca'less  with  yo'  possessions,"  said  Doc 
with  a  chuckle. 

"What  sort  of  a  man  is  Mr.  Peth?" 

"  Catch  me  with  my  stuff  sailin'  around  loose.  Some 
o'  these  hyar  native  trash  go'n  walk  off  wid  you,  bag 
an'  baggage,  if  you  don'  watch  out,  man." 

"Why  do  you  suppose  Mr.  Peth  wanted  to  move  out 
of  here?" 

"Oh,  he's  just  kind  o'  techy." 

"How  do  you  mean?" 

"Kind  o'  uppish.  He  don'  git  along  wid  nobody, 
nohow,  Mr.  Peth  don't." 


94  ISLE  O'  DREAMS 

"He's  been  with  Captain  Jarrow  a  long  time,  hasn't 
he?" 

Doc  turned  his  head  sidewise  and  looked  at  Trask, 
and  then  looked  out  into  the  main  cabin,  as  if  to  make 
sure  no  one  was  listening  before  he  went  on. 

"A  lion  an'  a  lamb,"  he  said,  in  a  scared  whisper. 

" And  Peth's  the  lion?" 

"  Yassir,  you  got  it.  Peth,  he'd  fight  with  his  own 
gran'mother,  that  man.  Argue  en  argue  en  argue. 
He  ain't  fixin'  to  hurt  nobody  when  he  talks,  but  when 
he  stops  talkin' — excuse  me!" 

"What  does  he  do  when  he  stops  talking?" 

"If  oP  Doc  Bird's  on  the  lan'scape,  he  hunts  a  hole 
an'  he  crawls  in  when  Mr.  Peth  he  begins  to  act  up." 

"You  mean  you're  afraid  of  him?" 

"  Not  exac'ly  what  you'd  go  an'  call  'fraid,  but  I  don' 
take  no  chances."  He  chuckled  again,  and  wagged  his 
head.  He  could  not  manipulate  the  lock  to  get  the 
bag  open,  and  Trask  reached  down  and  showed  him 
how  it  was  done. 

"Then  you  consider  Mr.  Peth  a  dangerous  man?" 

"Hesho'is." 

"How  is  he  dangerous?" 


TRASK  HAS  A  TALK  95 

"Well,  Mr.  Trask,  I  don'  lak'  to  go  an'  say  nothin' 
agin  a  man,  'specially  when  he's  matin'  round  a  boat 
what  I'm  in." 

"  Oh,  I  suppose  he's  rough  with  a  sailor  if  it  suits  his 
fancy,"  said  Trask,  convinced  now  that  Doc  was 
merely  making  talk,  and  telling  a  yarn  simply  to  im- 
press him. 

"He  wouldn't  look  twice  to  hang  somethin'  on  a 
man's  haid,  Mr.  Peth  wouldn't.  I  done  saw  him  stab 
a  man  once,  not  no  sailorman,  neither,  stab  him  right 
in  the  back  o'  the  neck  with  one  o'  these  hyar  Sweden 
knives  with  a  ring  on  the  handle.  He  was  a  planter 
down  Zamboanga  way,  an'  a  genelman  like  you,  in 
white  clothes.  He  come  sassin'  round  Mr.  Peth 
on  the  pier.  He  won't  sass  'round  no  mo',  mos' 
certain. " 

"Fol-de-rol,"  said  Trask.  "You're  trying  to  make 
him  out  a  bad  man.  I  want  to  know  something  about 
him." 

"Ain't  I  tellin'  of  ye?"  asked  Doc.  "Who  all  can 
tell  ye,  if  I  don'?  Reckon  that  Zamboanga  planter's 
gwine  come  back  to  life  jes'  fo'  talkin'  purposes,  Mr. 
Trask?" 


96  ISLE  O'  DREAMS 

"But  he  and  Captain  Jarrow  must  get  along  if 
they've  been  together  for  several  years." 

"  Git  along,  man !  Them  two  don'  git  along,  not  the 
way  we-all  say  it.  Mr.  Peth  an'  de  cap'n?  Huh! 
Them  two  git  along  smooth  as  a  houn'  dawg  in  a  brier 
patch." 

"They  quarrel  a  lot,  eh?" 

"Fight  ain'  no  name  fer  it.  Mr.  Peth  he  owns  part 
of  this  hyar  schooner,  an'  Cap'n  Jarrow  he  wants  fer  to 
git  him  out.  I  look  for  him  to  drap  Mr.  Peth  over  the 
side  some  fine  night — if  Mr.  Peth  don'  drap  him  fust." 

"Then  that's  why  Mr.  Peth  didn't  want  to  sleep 
aft  here?" 

"Mos'  doubtless.  He  pick  up  his  traps  an'  go. 
Mr.  Peth  he  done  ship  de  crew.  Yo'  don'  reckon  he 
picked  out  Cap'n  Jarrow's  Sunday  friends,  does  ye? 
No,  suh.  Mr.  Peth,  he  knows  what  he's  a-doin'  of.  He 
looks  to  be  with  his  own  friends  when  he  goes  for'ard." 

"Well,  that's  a  nice  arrangement,  to  have  the  mate 
hi  with  the  crew  and  opposed  to  the  captain." 

"Won't  do  no  harm  thataway,"  said  Doc  with  much 
assurance. 

"Why  not?" 


TRASK  HAS  A  TALK  97 

"I  reckon  Cap'n  Jarrow's  got  some  friends  along." 
"I  suppose  you  side  with  the  captain,  eh?  " 
"I  mos'  certain  do.    Old  Doc  Bird  knows  whar  his 
bread  is  buttered,  an'  he  keeps  right  close  alongside  de 
skipper." 

"  Mr.  Peth  knows  that?  " 

"Mr.  Peth  never  gits  no  chance  to  fergit  it.    An' 
the  cook,  he  ain'  got  no  use  fo'  Mr.  Peth." 
"I  see." 

"He  better  not  go  argufyin'  with  Shanghai  Tom." 
"Why  not?    What  could  the  cook  do?  " 
"Do?"    Doc  looked  up  and  rolled  his  eyes,  listened 
a  second  to  make  sure  the  cook  was  busy  in  the  galley, 
and  then  went  on:    "Do?    He'd  let  a  meat  axe  in 
him.    Yo'  jes'  want  to  stand  clear  if  yo'  see  Mr.  Peth 
an'  Tom  lookin'  crossways  at  each  other.     My  good- 
ness, Mr.  Trask,  yo'  sho'  got  a  powerful  lot  of  stuff  in 
this  grip-sack!" 

"Yes,  it's  tightly  packed.  Take  the  stuff  out  and 
put  it  in  the  upper  bunk.  I'll  use  the  lower.  So  Peth 
and  Jarrow  fight.  Do  you  mean  to  tell  me  there's 
always  fighting?  That  it  amounts  to  anything  more 
than  arguments?" 


98  ISLE  0'  DREAMS 

"Fight!  Lord-amighty!  Them  two!  They'd 
rather  fight  en  a  yaller  dawg  likes  fo'  to  worry  a  ham- 
bone.  Not  out  an'  out  strakin',  but  jes'  kind  o'  pickin' 
en  a  pickin' ;  insultin'  like.  But  Mr.  Peth  he's  makin' 
to  do  somebody  hurt  some  time." 

"Let  'em  fight,"  said  Trask,  and  he  began  to  help 
Doc  hand  out  the  clothing  from  the  bag  which  the 
steward  stowed  above.  When  the  bag  was  partly 
empty  Trask  opened  a  leather  pocket  that  was  fitted 
to  one  of  the  compartments.  He  gave  an  exclamation 
of  surprise  as  he  found  it  empty.  It  was  in  this  pocket 
that  his  automatic  revolver  was  ordinarily  carried. 

"What's  the  matter?"  asked  Doc. 

"Oh,  nothing.  IVe  misplaced  something,  that's 
all." 

"Yo'  don*  reckon  Mr.  Locke '11  go  an'  git  skeered 
'count  o'  Mr.  Peth's  carryin'  on,  does  ye?  " 

"I  don't  believe  anybody  in  this  party  is  very 
scared  of  Mr.  Peth." 

"Now,  Miss  Locke,  she's  a  powerful  nice  lady.  I 
knows  quality  folks  the  minute  I  comes  across  'em. 
Now  yo',  Mr.  Trask,  is  all  off  yo'  cou'se." 

"What  do  you  mean?  " 


TRASK  HAS  A  TALK  99 

"  Yo'  all  ain'  no  business  fo'  mixin'  in  with  a  ship  full 
o'  low-down  rakin's  an'  scrapin's  like  we  got  aboard 
hyar." 

"You  mean  Captain  Jarrow  and  Mr.  Peth?" 

"  Crew,"  said  Doc. 

"What  about  the  crew?" 

"Bad  lot" 

"You  mean  the  crew  can't  be  trusted? " 

"Honest  enough,  sho'ly,  but  they  ain't  in  yo'  all's 
set.  Now  I  know  quality  folks,  an'  when  I  sot  eyes  on 
yo'  all,  I  like  fo'  to  throwed  a  fit.  Huh!  'Ristocrats 
ain'  no  business  hoppin'  along  in  a  boat  like  this.  I  go 
f  o'  to  know  'ristocrats  when  I  sees  'em.  I  was  a  pantry 
man  in  a  Suezer." 

"But  this  isn't  any  tea-party  to  which  the  crew  are 
invited." 

"Huh !    Don'  yo'  go  fo'  to  fool  yo'  self." 

"Oh,  fiddlesticks!"  said  Trask.  "What  are  you 
trying  to  do?  Make  me  afraid  of  everybody  in  the 
schooner?  " 

Doc  scratched  his  woolly  head  and  rolled  his  eyes. 

"I  ain't  got  nothin'  mo'  fo'  to  say,"  he  declared, 
with  an  air  of  mystery. 


ioo  ISLE  O'  DREAMS 

Doc  was  getting  a  trifle  too  chummy  to  suit  Trask, 
and  he  thought  it  high  time  to  bring  the  discussion  to  a 
close.  While  he  felt  Doc  might  be  valuable  as  a 
friend  and  an  ally,  the  garrulous  steward  might  prove 
to  be  dangerous  as  a  gossip.  Trask  feared  that  he  had 
made  a  mistake  by  discussing  the  ship's  affairs  with 
him,  so  he  gave  the  black  man  a  generous  tip  and 
dismissed  him  with  a  caution  against  repeating  any- 
thing that  had  been  said. 

"If  yo'  go  to  need  any  advice,  Mr.  Trask,  jes'  yo' 
call  on  me,"  he  whispered  as  he  went  out.  "I  don't 
let  nothin'  what  might  come  in  handy  slip  by  me." 

"Thanks,"  said  Trask,  who  realized  that  this  was  a 
direct  offer  to  turn  spy  against  Captain  Jarrow  and 
Peth.  He  did  not  care  to  enter  into  any  sort  of  an 
arrangement  yet  felt  that  it  would  be  wise  to  retain 
friendly  relations  with  the  steward. 

"If  I  pick  up  anything,  Mr.  Trask,  I'll  put  a  bug  in 
yo'  ear." 

"All  right,"  said  Trask.  "But  I  don't  favour  your 
spying  on  anybody  for  my  sake.  You're  merely  to 
let  me  know  in  case  anything  goes  on  that  I  should 
know,  which  relates  to  the  safety  of  all  hands." 


TRASK  HAS  A  TALK  101 

"Oh,  I  ain'  go'n  to  do  no  snoopin',"  said  Doc,  with 
one  of  his  peculiar  chuckles.  "But  I  looks  fer 
carryin's  on." 

"I  don't  want  you  gossiping,"  said  Trask.  Doc 
was  promising  to  become  something  of  a  nuisance. 

"Yassir,"  said  the  steward,  and  went  away  to  the 
galley. 

Trask  now  gave  his  complete  attention  to  emp- 
tying the  bag  which  should  have  contained  the 
pistol.  He  made  a  careful  search.  But  the  pistol 
was  gone  and  he  was  sure  he  had  packed  it  that 
morning  at  the  hotel,  together  with  two  boxes  of  am- 
munition. 

So  he  ransacked  every  possible  place  where  the 
pistol  could  be  misplaced  among  his  effects.  But 
after  going  through  two  smaller  bags,  and  shaking  out 
every  bit  of  clothing,  even  to  folding  up  the  sheets  and 
blankets  on  both  bunks,  he  was  sure  the  pistol  was 
gone. 

So  far  as  Trask  knew,  the  only  person  besides  Doc 
Bird  to  cross  the  threshold  of  his  room  was  Peth.  But 
the  mate  had  been  there  only  a  few  minutes.  Who- 
ever the  thief  was,  he  apparently  had  gone  through  the 


102  ISLE  O'  DREAMS 

bag  looking  for  arms,  for  nothing  else  had  been  dis- 
turbed. And  it  must  have  taken  some  time  to  open 
the  straps  and  put  them  back  in  place,  for  the  leather 
was  stiff  and  the  buckles  difficult  to  manage.  Trask 
had  found  the  ends  of  the  straps  tucked  in  under  the 
leather  bands,  just  as  he  had  fixed  them  himself  at  the 
hotel. 

Besides,  to  get  the  pistol  and  ammunition  the 
leather  pocket  had  to  be  opened,  and  Trask  had  found 
the  flap  back  in  place  and  buckled  down.  Likewise, 
the  bag  had  been  opened  before  his  own  eyes  by  Doc 
Bird,  and  he  had  stood  over  the  steward  while  it  was 
unpacked. 

Doc  couldn't  have  known  the  pistol  was  there,  for 
immediately  the  bag  was  opened  he  stood  up  and  let 
Trask  pass  out  the  contents.  Peth  had  been  in  the 
room  probably  fifteen  minutes,  and  part  of  that  time 
two  of  the  crew  were  with  him. 

Trask  knew  it  would  be  unfair  to  charge  Peth  with 
the  theft  of  the  pistol,  or  to  question  the  mate  about 
it,  and  to  report  his  loss  to  Jarrow  might  precipitate 
more  trouble  on  top  of  the  ill-feeling  which  had  al- 
ready cropped  out  aboard  the  schooner. 


TRASK  HAS  A  TALK  103 

So  he  decided  to  wait  and  take  the  matter  up  at  a 
time  more  convenient  for  an  investigation. 

Trask  left  his  room  and  went  out  on  deck  as  if  noth- 
ing had  happened  to  arouse  his  suspicions  against  any- 
body in  the  vessel.  But  he  had  an  idea  that  Peth 
might  know  what  had  become  of  the  automatic  pistol. 


CHAPTER  VIII 

How  THE  SCHOONER  ARRIVED  OFF  THE  ISLAND 

TRASK   found   Captain   Jarrow   pacing  the 
weather  side  of  the  poop-deck  when  he  went 
up.    The  captain  seemed  to  be  in  ill-humour, 
as  if  his  tilt  with  Peth  had  not  been  settled  to  his  liking, 
and  his  attitude  that  of  shame  for  having  lost  his  face 
so  soon  with  his  "passengers." 

He  nodded  pleasantly  to  Trask,  who  observed  that  his 
bronzed  face  appeared  flushed  with  anger.   There  was  a 
savage  glint  in  his  eye  in  spite  of  his  silent  geniality. 
Trask  leaned  against  the  taffrail,  waiting  to  see  if 
Jarrow   would    speak,    and   if   the    captain's   mood 
warranted  it,  intended  to  report  the  loss  of  his  pistol. 
Locke  and  Marjorie  were  in  deck  chairs  around  the 
cabin  on  the  lee  side,  sheltered  from  sun  and  wind  to 
some  degree  by  the  sail  over  their  heads. 
But  Jarrow  said  nothing,  continuing  to  pace  from 
104 


the  break  of  the  poop  and  aft,  ignoring  Trask,  but 
keeping  a  watchful  eye  on  the  man  at  the  helm  and  the 
sails.  His  manner  indicated  that  he  did  not  wish  to 
engage  in  conversation,  but  preferred  to  consider 
matters  which  required  careful  thought. 

Dinshaw  was  standing  at  the  port  bulwark  abreast 
of  the  mainmast,  gazing  out  over  the  sea  in  a  reflective 
way,  and  looking  quite  forlorn  and  chastened.  The 
crew,  in  skylarking  style,  were  drawing  water  over  the 
side  with  buckets  and  throwing  it  down  the  deck  from 
forward,  so  that  Dinshaw  frequently  had  to  pull  him- 
self up  on  the  bulwark  to  avoid  having  his  feet  wet. 

This  gaiety  forward  was  in  striking  contrast  to  the 
sense  of  gloom  which  had  come  over  the  after  part  of 
the  schooner.  Not  that  any  one  was  suffering  any  dis- 
comforts from  the  fact  that  Jarrow  had  clashed  with 
the  mate,  unless  it  were  Jarrow  himself,  but  Peth's 
irascibility  had  checked  the  holiday  air  with  which  the 
schooner's  company  had  put  to  sea.  But  the  crew  had 
suddenly  become  gleeful,  as  if  the  quarrel  between 
master  and  mate  had  provided  a  great  joke. 

Peth  was  walking  about  forward,  in  bare  feet,  growl- 
ing out  a  word  now  and  then,  and  obviously  going  to 


io6  ISLE  O'  DREAMS 

great  pains  not  to  look  aft.  When  his  back  was  turned 
from  them  the  sailors  indulged  in  grins  and  back- 
slappings  and  other  rough  demonstrations  of  their 
knowledge  that  the  "afterguard"  were  not  on  agree- 
able terms. 

This  prankish  mood  of  the  crew  was  shown  in  their 
efforts  to  make  Dinshaw  uncomfortable.  It  was  plain 
to  Trask  that  they  wanted  to  arouse  the  old  man's  ire, 
or  pick  on  him  in  a  sneaking  way,  to  let  him  know  that 
he  had  lost  his  previous  standing  with  them.  It  was 
all  undoubtedly  meant  to  have  petty  revenge  on  him 
for  the  way  he  had  been  lording  it  about  before  Peth 
had  quarrelled  with  Jarrow.  They  seemed  to  have  an 
idea  that  because  Peth  had  come  forward,  they  could 
show  the  old  captain  disrespect. 

In  a  way  it  was  all  harmless  enough,  yet  Trask  felt 
that  neither  Peth  nor  Jarrow  should  allow  such  lax 
discipline.  Dinshaw  belonged  aft,  and  for  that  reason 
to  treat  him  with  contumely  was  a  reflection  on  every- 
body aft.  But  Trask  thought  that  it  was  no  time  to 
call  the  captain's  attention  to  what  was  going  on, 
partly  because  Dinshaw  should  have  remained  aft 
while  such  work  was  being  done,  and  partly  because  a 


HOW  THE  SCHOONER  ARRIVED       107 

criticism  from  Jarrow  would  undoubtedly  cause  a  re- 
newal of  the  row  that  should  be  allowed  to  blow  over. 

The  crew's  jeering  attitude  was  soon  brought  out  in 
another  manner  while  Trask  remained  near  the  cap- 
tain. Doc  Bird  went  to  the  lee  side  to  throw  over 
some  refuse  from  the  galley,  and  before  he  could  make 
his  escape  back  to  the  galley  one  of  the  men,  whom 
Trask  knew  to  be  Shope,  hurled  a  bucket  of  water  in 
such  fashion  that  Doc's  legs  were  wet. 

The  steward  said  something  which  Trask  did  not 
understand,  but  which  must  have  been  suitable  to  the 
occasion,  for  Shope  took  anger  at  once,  and  advanced 
on  the  negro  threateningly.  But  Doc  ran  back  to  the 
galley,  and  his  voice,  raised  in  remonstrance,  could  be 
heard  as  he  expressed  opinions  to  Shanghai  Tom  about 
Shope. 

If  there  had  been  no  trouble  in  the  schooner  Trask 
would  have  thought  nothing  of  the  incident,  and  might 
have  enjoyed  it  as  a  harmless  joke.  But  he  saw  that 
the  crew  seemed  to  be  openly  antagonistic  to  all  hands 
aft,  for  the  others  joined  in  open  laughter  at  the  dis- 
comfiture of  the  steward.  And  what  was  more  sig- 
nificant, Peth  and  Jarrow  saw  what  happened,  but 


io8  ISLE  O'  DREAMS 

both  ignored  it.  The  crew  were  evidently  taking  ad- 
vantage of  the  relations  between  master  and  mate,  and 
seemed  bent  on  stirring  up  fresh  discord. 

In  a  few  minutes  Jarrow  went  below,  without  look- 
ing at  Trask,  and  from  the  set  of  his  jaw  Trask  knew 
that  his  anger  was  growing.  Presently  he  heard  Jarrow 
talking  in  a  gruff  way  to  Doc  Bird,  and  the  latter's 
whining  and  conciliatory  voice  in  argument. 

"I  don't  want  no  back  slack  from  the  likes  o'  you," 
Jarrow  said,  and  Doc  subsided. 

Trask  went  around  to  where  Locke  and  Marjorie 
were  sitting,  and  with  his  back  against  the  side  of  the 
cabin  trunk,  sat  and  chatted. 

At  lunch  time  Captain  Jarrow  joined  them  at  table, 
and  made  special  efforts  to  renew  the  good-fellowship 
of  the  schooner,  chiefly  by  a  careful  avoidance  of  any 
mention  of  Peth.  He  made  jokes  and  told  stories  and 
except  for  a  wicked  look  now  and  then  at  Doc  Bird, 
was  very  jolly  and  agreeable,  so  that  he  made  a  de- 
cidedly good  impression  on  Locke  and  Marjorie.  But 
Trask  had  some  doubts  of  his  natural  affability  and 
was  inclined  toward  the  belief  that  Jarrow  was  hardly 
so  angelic  as  he  painted  himself. 


HOW  THE  SCHOONER  ARRIVED       109 

Dinshaw  did  not  appear  at  table.  On  investigation 
it  was  found  that  the  old  man  was  in  the  waist  boat 
taking  a  nap  and  he  was  not  disturbed. 

Peth  came  aft  shortly,  and  while  Marjorie,  Trask, 
and  Locke  played  cards  at  the  cabin  table,  Jarrow  and 
the  mate  had  a  long,  low-toned  conference,  which 
ended  by  Jarrow's  coming  down  and  going  to  his 
room. 

"Everything's  all  right,"  he  said  to  Locke,  with  a 
vigorous  wink,  and  pointed  up  the  companion  with 
his  thumb. 

"You  mean  he  comes  back?"  asked  Locke. 

"  No,  sir,  he  stays  for'ard,  but  it's  all  smoothed  out. 
He  ain't  a  bad  sort  when  ye  rub  him  the  right  way," 
and  thereupon  disappeared  for  his  afternoon  sleep. 

When  the  card  party  broke  up,  and  the  trio  went  to 
the  poop-deck,  Peth  was  all  smiles,  and  arranged  their 
chairs  on  the  starboard  side.  But  Locke  practically 
ignored  him,  except  to  be  officially  pleasant,  as  it  had 
been  agreed  that  unless  the  mate  asked  permission  to 
come  aft  again  his  status  should  be  exactly  like  that  of 
the  crew.  So  far  as  Trask  could  judge,  Peth  seemed 
perfectly  agreeable  to  that  arrangement,  and  once  he 


no  ISLE  O'  DREAMS 

had  given  formal  assistance,  went  back  to  the  weather 
side,  and  kept  to  himself. 

Dinshaw  crawled  out  from  his  nook  in  the  waist 
boat,  rubbed  his  eyes,  and  looked  about  him  in  a  dazed 
sort  of  way,  and  then  went  into  the  cabin  to  wheedle 
Doc  Bird  out  of  a  meal  after  which  he  hid  himself  away 
in  his  room  and  remained  there  until  dinner. 

"Well,"  said  Jarrow,  as  he  watched  Doc  Bird  light 
the  cabin  lamp.  "We  ought  to  raise  the  island  some 
time  before  noon  if  this  breeze  holds." 

"  Good  enough,"  said  Locke.  "But  I  can't  say  I'm 
in  any  particular  hurry  to  get  anywhere.  I've  had 
the  best  rest  and  loaf  to-day  I've  had  in  a  long  time." 

"We've  certainly  walked  along,"  said  Trask. 

"Oh,  the  old  gal  can  go,"  said  Jarrow,  proudly. 
"  Mr.  Peth  has  kept  her  diggin'  along.  We've  logged 
near  ten  knots  steady.  I  never  looked  to  march  like 
we  have.  If  we  keep  it  up  through  the  night,  we  ought 
to  have  supper  the  next  time  at  anchor." 

"  Then  Captain  Dinshaw  and  I'll  be  able  to  start  our 
prospecting  early,"  said  Trask,  with  a  nod  at  the  old 
captain. 

"I  can  take  ye  right  to  the  place,"  said  Dinshaw, 


HOW  THE  SCHOONER  ARRIVED       in 

eagerly.  "Ye  won't  have  no  trouble  to  find  gold  with 
me  along." 

"You  people  better  draw  up  an  agreement  as  to 
who's  to  have  all  this  gold,"  said  Locke,  with  a  waggish 
smile.  "  Suppose  we  fill  this  schooner  up  with  yellow 
stuff?  Who  owns  it?" 

"Share  and  share  alike,"  suggested  Dinshaw.  "I'll 
make  ye  all  rich." 

"You  mean  me  and  all  hands?"  asked  Jarrow. 
Trask  looked  to  Dinshaw  for  a  reply,  a  trifle  surprised 
at  Jarrow's  question,  for  of  course  the  schooner's  crew 
could  claim  no  share  of  anything,  as  Jarrow  was  being 
paid  for  his  part  in  the  expedition  and  was  taking  no 
chances  of  being  out  of  pocket  if  the  island  proved  to 
be  a  fiasco. 

"No,  sir,"  said  Dinshaw,  a  little  rufiled.  "What's 
you  and  all  hands  got  to  do  with  this  v'yage,  outside  of 
doin'  yer  duty?" 

"Can't  ye  take  a  little  joke?"  demanded  Jarrow, 
with  a  wry  grin.  "  Think  we're  goin'  to  run  away  with 
yer  island?" 

Dinshaw  became  confused  at  this,  and  stared  at  the 
others  helplessly.  Marjorie  spoke  up  and  reassured 


ii2  ISLE  O'  DREAMS 

the  old  man  that  no  one  wanted  to  cheat  him  out  of 
what  was  his,  and  he  went  on  eating,  content. 

But  Jarrow's  sharpness  put  an  end  to  the  pleasant 
relations  which  had  been  resumed.  In  a  few  minutes 
he  found  an  excuse  to  leave  the  table  and  did  not  come 
back. 

"We  certainly  have  joined  a  happy  family,"  said 
Locke.  "If  it  wasn't  that  we  were  so  near  to  this 
island,  I'd  be  for  turning  the  schooner  around 
and " 

"Oh,  Dad!"  said  Marjorie.  "Don't  take  it  so 
seriously!  I  want  to  see  the  island." 

"So  do  I,  but  I  hate  to  hear  everybody  aboard 
barking  at  everybody  else.  First  it's  Mr.  Peth,  and 
now  the  captain's  on  his  high  horse.  They're  not 
being  paid  to  perform  like  a  box  of  wild-cats,  and  I'll 
inform  Captain  Jarrow  to  that  effect  before  long  if 
things  don't  change." 

"He  wants  to  steal  my  island!"  whispered  Dinshaw. 

Doc  Bird,  who  was  serving  the  coffee,  started  visibly, 
and  looked  at  Dinshaw  in  amazement. 

"What's  that?"  asked  Locke,  and  Trask  and  Mar- 
jorie turned  to  the  old  captain. 


HOW  THE  SCHOONER  ARRIVED       113 

"  Jarrow  and  Peth  want  to  steal  my  island  and  have 
all  the  gold,"  insisted  Dinshaw,  his  face  tragic. 

"Steward,  give  my  compliments  to  Captain  Jarrow 
and  tell  him  I'd  speak  to  him,"  said  Locke. 
•  "I  wouldn't  do  that,"  cautioned  Trask.  "Let's  see 
what  this  is  about.  I  don't  think  it's  wise  to  jump 
at  conclusions.  What  makes  you  think  they're  going 
to  steal  your  island?  " 

"Call  the  cap'n,  sir?"  asked  Doc,  on  his  way  to  the 
companion. 

"Never  mind,"  said  Locke. 

"What  reason  have  you  for  believing  that  Jarrow 
and  Peth  want  to  steal  your  gold,  captain?"  asked 
Trask,  gently. 

"  I  know,"  said  Dinshaw,  wagging  his  head. 

"How  do  you  know?" 

"I — I  dreamed  it.  I  was  asleep  out  there  in  the 
long  boat  and  heard  'em  talking." 

"We  can't  very  well  blame  Jarrow  for  what  you 
dream,"  said  Locke,  relieved  that  there  was  nothing 
more  substantial  to  Dinshaw's  charges  than  a  dream. 

"I  didn't  dream  it,"  said  Dinshaw,  with  sudden 
conviction.  "  I  heard  'em  talk.  Jarrow  said  if  there 


ii4  ISLE  O'  DREAMS 

was  gold  on  the  island,  he  and  Peth  was  to  have  it  for 
themselves." 

Doc  chuckled,  and  showed  his  teeth  in  a  broad  smile, 
with  a  sly  wink  at  Trask. 

"He  talks  in  his  sleep,"  whispered  Doc  into  Trask's 
ear,  as  he  bent  over  to  remove  a  plate. 

"Don't  you  worry,"  said  Locke.  "Nobody's  going 
to  cheat  you,  and  I'm  here  to  see  that  they  don't. 
But  I'd  keep  quiet  about  my  dreams,  if  I  wanted  to  go 
on  to  the  island,  or  we'll  be  back  in  Manila  in  three 
shakes  of  a  lamb's  tail." 

"Very  good,  sir,"  said  Dinshaw. 

Trask  was  between  two  minds  to  tell  Locke  that  his 
pistol  had  been  stolen,  for  while  he  placed  little  cre- 
dence in  what  Dinshaw  had  said,  he  began  to  wonder 
if  there  wasn't  something  going  on  aboard  the  schooner 
that  promised  trouble.  What  if  Dinshaw  had  not 
been  dreaming  after  all?  Suppose  Peth  and  Jarrow 
were  plotting  to  play  all  hands  double? 

But  it  would  be  silly  to  abandon  the  voyage  just  as 
they  were  about  to  arrive  at  the  island,  and  while 
undoubtedly  there  had  been  gossip  and  conjecture 
about  the  island,  it  was  quite  possible  that  if  Dinshaw 


HOW  THE  SCHOONER  ARRIVED       115 

had  overheard  some  light  talk,  he  had  misinterpreted 
its  import. 

Trask  knew  that  Locke's  attitude  was  now  such 
that  if  he  reported  the  theft  of  the  pistol,  Locke  would 
decline  to  go  forward  another  mile,  an  idea  which 
Trask  could  not  bring  himself  to  consider  for  various 
reasons,  the  most  important  being  that  he  did  not 
want  to  say  farewell  to  Marjorie  Locke  and  see  her 
sail  away  to  the  United  States. 

And  as  there  being  any  actual  danger  from  Jarrow 
and  Peth,  other  than  such  as  might  result  from  a 
serious  quarrel  between  the  two,  he  considered  a  piece 
of  absurdity. 

As  Trask  thought  the  thing  over  later  in  the  evening, 
however,  he  realized  that  his  own  deductions  and 
desires  were  selfish,  and  that  after  all  he  could  not 
assume  the  entire  responsibility  for  Marjorie's  safety. 
He  knew  it  was  only  fair  to  take  Locke  into  his  con- 
fidence regarding  what  had  happened. 

So,  getting  Locke  below  in  the  cabin  while  the 
others  were  on  deck,  Trask  told  Locke  that  his  pistol 
was  missing.  But  Locke  treated  the  matter  lightly, 
and  said  he  did  not  believe  it  could  have  any  signifi- 


n6  ISLE  O'  DREAMS 

cance.  It  was  his  opinion  that  the  weapon  had  been 
stolen  by  some  of  the  crew,  and  he  rather  suspected 
Doc  Bird.  He  said  he  would  speak  to  the  captain 
about  it  after  they  arrived  at  the  island,  and  that  the 
steward's  quarters  should  be  searched  and  Doc 
questioned,  but  he  doubted  the  advisability  of  making 
what  he  called  a  rumpus  about  it  now,  especially  as 
Marjorie  might  be  worried  and  he  wanted  her  to  get  a 
good  night's  sleep. 

Trask  let  the  business  rest  there  and  went  up  with 
Locke  again  to  enjoy  the  brilliant  moonlight  and 
listen  to  the  impromptu  concert  which  the  crew  had 
begun  with  a  mouth  organ  and  a  flute. 

Even  Peth  joined  in  the  fun,  and  unbent  to  the 
extent  of  whistling  some  popular  airs  of  the  sad  and 
sentimental  variety  with  many  trills  and  flourishes. 

Doc's  part  in  the  evening's  entertainment  was  a 
buck-and-wing  dance  of  a  most  violent  sort,  and  when 
he  had  finished,  Jarrow  told  him  to  serve  all  hands  with 
a  tot  of  rum. 

Everybody  went  to  bed  in  the  best  of  spirits,  and  for 
the  first  time  since  leaving  Manila  it  appeared  that  the 
whole  ship's  company  was  contented. 


HOW  THE  SCHOONER  ARRIVED       117 

Trask  left  his  room  door  open,  and  was  awakened 
several  times  during  the  night.  It  seemed  to  him  that 
the  wind  had  shifted,  and  that  there  was  much  tacking, 
for  all  night  there  was  running  about  on  deck,  and 
thumping  of  blocks.  At  least  a  dozen  times  he  heard 
Jarrow  bawling  to  "Go  about,"  and  Peth's  voice  from 
the  bows  yelling  "Hard  alee,"  and  the  jibs  being 
handled  to  the  accompaniment  of  shivering  sails  and 
the  lurch  of  the  schooner  as  she  stood  on  a  new  board. 

All  aft  slept  late,  and  were  not  about  for  breakfast 
until  well  past  eight  o'clock,  when  they  found  Doc 
Bird  grinning  like  an  ebony  monkey. 

"What  the  devil  was  all  the  stock-yards  noise  about 
last  night?"  demanded  Locke,  as  he  came  out  of  his 
room  and  went  to  the  door  to  look  forward,  searching 
the  horizon  ahead. 

"  Shorely  broke  my  bones,  sir,"  said  Doc.  "  We  been 
a  sawin'  up  an'  down  all  night,  but  the  old  man  he  kep' 
on  his  close  spite  o'  wind  an'  high  water." 

"I  thought  we  were  turning  over  several  times," 
said  Marjorie,  as  she  took  her  place  at  table. 

"Blowed  lak'  she  never  blowed  befo',"  opined  Doc. 
"But  we  done  come  home." 


u8  ISLE  O'  DREAMS 

"What  do  you  mean?"  asked  Locke. 

"Didn'  yo'  see  the  islan'?" 

There  was  an  exodus  to  the  deck  at  this,  but  al- 
though the  trio  searched  the  rim  of  the  sky  they  could 
not  make  out  a  sign  of  land.  The  schooner  was  sail- 
ing close  into  the  wind,  which  had  abated  into  a  steady 
though  stiff  breeze,  and  she  was  pitching  over  the 
swells  with  an  even,  rocking  movement. 

Doc  grinned  and  pointed  over  the  port  bow,  and 
Jarrow  came  down  from  the  poop,  smiling  proudly. 

"There's  our  island,"  he  said. 

Trask  managed  to  pick  it  up,  but  the  others  could 
not  see  it,  and  went  back  to  breakfast.  Trask  soon 
followed,  observing  that  Shope  was  in  the  fore  cross- 
trees  studying  the  distant  speck  with  a  glass. 

"We  ought  to  be  up  to  it  by  night,"  said  Jarrow. 

"Night!"  said  Trask,  surprised. 

"Perhaps  before  dark,"  said  Jarrow,  a  trifle  dis- 
concerted at  Trask's  manner.  "I  don't  look  to  hold 
this  wind  all  day." 

"But  we  seem  to  be  making  good  time,"  said  Trask. 

"Not  so  good  as  ye'd  think,"  replied  Jarrow.  "  She's 
kickin'  up  her  heels  and  makin'  a  great  fuss  about  it, 


HOW  THE  SCHOONER  ARRIVED       119 

maybe  six  knots  now,  and  enough  leeway  to  choke  an 
ox." 

With  that  he  went  up  and  in  a  few  minutes  put  the 
schooner  on  the  other  tack,  but  this  time  she  was  not 
sailing  into  the  wind  nearly  so  closely  as  she  had  been, 
and  was  now  headed  so  that  if  she  held  her  course,  she 
would  clear  the  island  by  several  miles  and  leave  it  to 
starboard. 

Trask  said  nothing,  but  suspected  that  Jarrow  was 
killing  time,  especially  as  the  schooner  did  not  go  about 
for  a  couple  of  hours,  and  then  on  such  a  sharp  angle 
with  her  former  course  that  but  few  miles  were  gained 
in  approaching  the  island. 

Dinshaw  spent  the  morning  pottering  over  a  chart 
in  great  excitement,  and  his  manner  indicated  that  he 
wanted  to  be  left  to  himself. 

All  day  they  tacked  up  and  down,  Jarrow  explaining 
that  there  might  be  reefs  about,  although  there  wasn't 
a  spot  of  broken  water  in  sight  even  with  the  heavy  sea 
that  was  running  after  the  night's  blow. 

At  one  time  Trask  thought  the  delay  in  getting  on 
was  due  to  Peth,  for  the  mate  was  most  deliberate  in 
going  about,  and  it  was  half  an  hour  after  the  order  had 


120  ISLE  O'  DREAMS 

been  given  to  put  the  schooner  on  a  new  tack  before 
Peth  got  down  his  jib  and  shouted  for  a  lee  helm. 

It  was  near  sundown  before  they  had  the  island 
within  three  miles,  whereupon  Jarrow  so  manoeuvred 
that  they  ran  straight  in  for  it,  and  came  to  anchor  in 
its  lee,  behind  a  reef  which  ran  to  the  south  of  and 
almost  parallel  with  it. 

By  this  time  it  was  apparent  to  all  that  the  island 
was  the  one  they  were  seeking.  It  stood  up  out  of  the 
sea,  green  and  fresh,  except  for  the  single  peak,  which 
was  dun  brown. 

Dinshaw  declared  that  this  was  it,  and  pointed  out 
the  reef  which  he  had  painted  into  his  picture,  which 
showed  like  a  white  ridge  over  the  greenish  water. 

"It  was  here  the  Wetherall  struck,"  he  said. 

"But  the  four  palm  trees,  and  the  big  rock,"  said 
Trask;  "I  don't  see  them." 

"Ah  ha!"  said  Dinshaw,  slyly.  "I  put  them  in  to 
fool  folks.  There  ain't  no  palm  trees  like  them  I 
painted." 

Jarrow  looked  disgustedly  at  him,  and  gave  orders 
to  Peth  to  have  the  dinghy  lowered. 

"Are  we  going  ashore  now?"  asked  Marjorie. 


HOW  THE  SCHOONER  ARRIVED       121 

"No,  ma'am,"  said  Jarrow.  "We  can't  trust  the 
weather  in  a  hole  like  this.  May  have  to  wear  and  git 
out.  All  hands  stick  close  aboard  to-night." 

"In  the  morning,"  said  Trask. 

"In  the  mornin,"  echoed  Dinshaw,  but  he  seemed 
disappointed  and  scarcely  able  to  wait  for  the  time  of 
going  ashore. 

Trask  got  out  his  prospecting  bag,  and  after  supper 
they  all  sat  on  the  poop  and  talked  and  joked  about 
what  was  in  store  for  them  the  next  day — all  except 
Dinshaw,  who,  like  a  child,  had  gone  to  bed  early,  that 
morning  would  come  the  quicker. 

Then  Jarrow  followed  suit.  Locke,  Trask,  and 
Marjorie  remained  for  an  hour's  chat  in  the  darkness 
after  which  Trask  was  left  to  himself  to  finish  his  cigar. 

"Good  luck,  Mr.  Trask,"  Marjorie  had  whispered, 
as  she  went  down  the  companion,  and  he  touched  her 
hand  playfully. 

He  remained  in  his  deck  chair  for  some  time,  with 
only  the  friendly  glow  of  his  cigar  to  keep  him  company, 
wondering  how  it  would  all  end.  For  all  his  im- 
patience to  get  to  the  island,  now  that  it  was  lying 
there  within  stone's  throw  behind  the  whisper  of  the 


122  ISLE  O'  DREAMS 

waves  washing  its  beach,  he  was  sorry  they  had 
arrived  so  soon.  For  if  there  should  be  no  gold  on 
the  island,  it  would  be  a  case  of  turning  back,  and  a 
couple  of  days  more  would  see  them  in  Manila,  and 
Marjorie  Locke  homeward  bound  with  her  father. 
But  if  there  should  be  gold!  Well,  that  might  give 
this  voyage  a  new  aspect,  it  might  alter  his  own  for- 
tunes in  such  way  that  he  could  tell  Marjorie  Locke 
that  he  loved  her. 

Of  course,  if  Dinshaw's  discovery  proved  to  be  only 
a  pocket,  or  no  gold  at  all,  that  would  put  an  end  to 
things.  But  if  there  was  gold  in  quantities  that  would 
pay  for  mining  it,  his  own  share  might  be  a  good  stake 
in  life.  His  future  hung  on  the  old  man's  story,  that 
is  his  future  considered  with  Marjorie  Locke,  and 
Trask  had  now  come  to  the  point  of  not  being  able  to 
consider  his  own  future  alone,  although  he  did  not 
realize  that  wholly.  It  was  a  thought  he  kept  in  the 
back  of  his  mind  for  fear  it  might  turn  out  to  be  only  a 
dream. 

He  threw  his  cigar  into  the  sea,  and  stood  up 
suddenly.  There  was  a  queer  noise  from  the  break  of 
the  poop.  It  sounded  as  if  someone  who  had  been 


HOW  THE  SCHOONER  ARRIVED       123 

startled  had  fled.  He  did  not  move  for  several 
minutes.  Then  it  came  back  to  him  that  there  were 
other  things  to  consider  besides  the  success  of  this 
venture  in  gold  and  his  future  with  Marjorie  Locke. 

The  schooner  was  quiet,  ominously  quiet.  The 
queer  noise  had  jarred  his  nerves,  and  now  he  began  to 
wonder  if  there  was  not  some  menace  about  the  decks. 

He  heard  the  main  shrouds  creak  as  if  someone 
were  going  aloft  and  then  a  rustle  like  a  whispered 
caution. 

Without  a  warning,  he  turned  and  stepped  abruptly 
into  the  shaft  of  light  which  came  up  through  the 
companion,  and  went  below  to  his  room,  where  he  shut 
himself  in. 

Whatever  he  did,  he  knew  it  would  have  to  be 
carried  on  with  all  caution.  He  would  have  to  meet 
sneaking  and  spying  with  the  same  tactics,  but  he  was 
determined  to  keep  watch  throughout  the  night. 


CHAPTER  IX 

TRASK  UNDERTAKES  A  PRIVATE  INVESTIGATION 

f  •  "^RASK  was  more  worried  than  he  liked  to  ad- 
mit, even  to  himself.  While  he  had  nothing 

JL  tangible  in  the  way  of  suspicion,  he  disliked 
the  manner  in  which  events  had  shaped  themselves, 
or  had  been  shaped  by  Jarrow. 

From  the  tune  they  had  raised  the  island,  Trask  had 
seen  on  the  part  of  Jarrow  a  decided  reluctance  to 
arrive  at  anchorage  before  dark.  There  was  no  doubt 
about  it.  He  had  allowed  the  schooner  to  lag  when 
she  could  have  been  driven  ahead.  Whether  this  was 
due  to  Jarrow's  deliberate  contrivance,  or  was  the  re- 
sult of  a  tacit  acceptance  of  Peth's  dilatory  ways  in 
seamanship,  Trask  had  no  means  of  determining  with 
accuracy.  He  could  only  draw  conclusions. 

It  might  have  been  that  Jarrow  was  willing  to  over- 
look Peth's  delays  hi  order  to  avoid  bringing  on  a  new 

124 


TRASK  INVESTIGATES  125 

argument  with  the  mate.  And  Jarrow  might  have 
been  wise  to  avoid  a  resumption  of  trouble,  for,  as  Peth 
had  been  openly  insolent  and  had  carried  a  chip  on  his 
shoulder  all  the  way  from  Manila,  it  was  just  as  well 
that  the  captain  did  not  give  him  the  satisfaction  of 
a  row. 

But  Trask  blamed  Jarrow  for  being  too  complacent 
in  small  things,  which  had  encouraged  Peth  to  in- 
subordination. It  would  have  been  far  better  if  the 
mate  had  been  brought  into  place  with  a  sharp  and 
short  encounter  which  would  determine  just  who  was 
master,  than  to  continue  strained  relations  which  only 
allowed  Peth  to  smoulder  and  feed  his  rising  anger  with 
growls  and  grumbles  in  the  hearing  of  the  crew. 

There  was  no  doubt  that  Jarrow  was  trying  to 
smooth  things  out  and  avoid  a  direct  clash.  He 
dreaded  unpleasantness  in  the  presence  of  Locke.  But 
to  Trask  the  obvious  delay  in  coming  up  to  the  island 
was  only  a  small  part  of  his  growing  fears  that  the 
situation  aboard  the  schooner  was  worse  than  a  mere 
temporary  ill-feeling  between  the  captain  and  the 
mate. 

A  decided  change  had  come  over  the  crew.    They 


126  ISLE  O'  DREAMS 

were  strangely  quiet,  and  when  Trask  or  Locke  or 
Marjorie  came  in  sight,  the  men  were  full  of  covert 
looks  and  signals  to  each  other  with  their  hands  for 
caution  and  whispers. 

There  was  a  feeling  of  tension,  a  sudden  stiffening 
of  demeanour  once  the  anchor  was  down.  It  was  not 
so  much  expressed  as  shown  by  repression.  There 
was  a  soberness  of  purpose  in  the  most  trifling  details 
of  their  duties,  as  if  a  crisis  long  expected  had  ar- 
rived. 

This  change  in  manner  was  best  exemplified  by  Doc 
Bird.  Trask  had  noticed  that  when  serving  the  table 
he  had  a  way  of  looking  over  his  shoulder  suddenly,  or 
taking  on  a  look  of  scared  intentness  at  any  unexpected 
sounds  from  the  deck  or  in  the  cabin.  Doc  had  be- 
come strangely  alert,  watchful  of  everybody,  and 
nervous  to  the  point  of  sudden  shivering  attacks. 
Trask  ascribed  Doc's  actions  to  an  unexplained  cool- 
ness which  had  sprung  up  between  the  steward  and 
Shanghai  Tom,  although  it  was  quite  possible  Doc  was 
aware  of  something  of  the  nature  which  had  given 
Trask  a  sense  of  disquiet,  this  undercurrent  of  in- 
sincerity, of  hidden  meanings,  of  an  evil  spirit  lurking 


TRASK  INVESTIGATES  127 

under  the  friendly  relations  of  Jarrow  and  Dinshaw 
with  the  trio  who  had  come  seeking  the  island. 

Considering  these  matters,  Trask  undressed  and  put 
on  his  pajamas.  Then  he  opened  the  door  of  his  room, 
and  rolled  into  his  bunk,  purposely  accentuating  the 
creaking  of  the  boards  under  his  mattress  so  that  any 
listener  might  be  assured  he  had  turned  in  for  the 
night. 

The  hole  cut  in  the  upper  part  of  Jarrow's  door  was 
open  and  dark.  The  captain,  to  all  appearances,  had 
gone  to  sleep,  but  Trask  had  plans  for  the  night  and 
did  not  care  to  take  chances  at  having  them  upset. 

There  was  a  mild  snoring  from  Dinshaw's  room  and 
despite  the  chafing  of  the  schooner's  gear  and  the 
patter  of  the  water  under  her  counter,  she  seemed 
deathly  quiet  after  the  interminable  groaning  of  her 
timbers  during  the  passage  from  Manila. 

The  swinging  lamp  over  the  cabin  table  was  burn- 
ing dimly,  waves  of  its  light  washing  into  Trask's  room 
like  the  lifting  of  a  lazy  tide,  and  whirling  grotesque 
shadows  up  and  down  the  bulkhead. 

The  lighted  lamp  stood  in  the  way  of  Trask's  carry- 
ing out  his  plan.  He  wished  he  had  found  some  ex- 


128  ISLE  O'  DREAMS 

cuse  for  putting  it  out  earlier.  But  he  had  not  realized 
that  it  was  to  be  left  burning.  He  wanted  to  go 
out  and  do  a  little  reconnoitering,  but  as  the  door  of 
the  main  cabin  leading  forward  was  open,  he  had  no 
way  of  leaving  the  cabin  without  being  seen  from  the 
forecastle. 

It  was  from  the  forecastle  that  he  hoped  to  get  some 
inkling  of  how  the  crew  was  getting  on.  Immediately 
after  the  anchor  was  down  Trask  observed  that  the 
crew  had  gone  below,  and,  except  for  an  occasional 
gruff  call,  or  a  joking  sally,  nothing  had  been  seen  or 
heard  from  them. 

Trask  was  confident  they  had  not  turned  in  to  sleep. 
There  had  been  sounds  of  rough  gaiety,  promptly 
subdued,  and  a  few  bars  of  music  on  a  mouth  organ, 
checked  abruptly.  The  scuttle  had  been  closed,  and 
Trask  thought  it  queer  that  there  should  be  a  desire 
to  shut  themselves  up,  for  while  the  evening  was  cool 
enough  in  the  open,  the  temperature  arose  in  a  stifling 
way  at  any  shutting  off  of  the  air  currents. 

Trask  would  have  thought  nothing  of  it  if  the  crew 
had  openly  quarrelled,  or  engaged  in  skylarking,  or  had 
sat  around  and  smoked  and  chatted  quietly.  But 


TRASK  INVESTIGATES  129 

they  appeared  ominously  furtive.  And  Trask  knew 
that  if  there  was  anything  sinister  behind  their  skulk- 
ing, Peth  must  have  a  hand  in  whatever  was  going  on. 

The  lamp  must  be  disposed  of  in  a  manner  not  to 
attract  the  attention  of  either  the  crew  or  those  aft. 
He  first  thought  of  calling  softly  to  Doc  Bird  and  ask- 
ing him  to  put  out  the  light.  But  if  Doc  demurred,  or 
declared  that  the  light  could  not  be  extinguished  ex- 
cept by  order  of  Jarrow,  Trask  would  have  called  atten- 
tion to  his  own  wishes  and  his  plan  would  be  balked. 

Besides,  Doc  would  undoubtedly  want  to  talk,  and 
Jarrow  would  thereby  be  disturbed  and  become  watch- 
ful, and  all  hands  aft  be  roused.  If  the  light  were  put 
out  at  Trask's  request,  and  later  he  was  found  prowling 
on  deck,  he  could  no  longer  maintain  his  character  of 
being  a  person  without  suspicion  of  anything  amiss 
aboard. 

But  if  he  put  the  light  out  himself,  he  could  offer  the 
plea  that  it  prevented  him  from  sleeping,  and  the  same 
excuse  could  be  given  if  he  were  later  found  outside  for 
a  little  fresh  air.  If  any  of  the  crew  did  resent  his 
presence  forward,  he  would  have  proof  that  they  were 
wary  of  being  spied  upon.  That,  if  nothing  more, 


i3o  ISLE  O'  DREAMS 

would  indicate  to  him  that  his  suspicions  were  well 
founded. 

He  got  out  of  his  bunk  with  great  care  and  struck  a 
match.  Then  he  stepped  boldly  into  the  cabin  and 
turned  down  the  lamp  until  the  wick  snuffed  out  the 
flame.  With  the  match  still  burning  in  his  hand,  he 
went  back  to  his  room,  thus  establishing  for  any 
watcher  the  fact  that  he  had  returned  to  bed  after  the 
lamp  was  extinguished. 

Waiting  a  while  to  make  sure  there  would  be  no  in- 
vestigation as  to  why  the  light  went  out,  he  crawled 
out  over  the  coaming  of  the  door  of  his  room.  It  was 
necessary  that  he  keep  low,  for  he  was  not  sure  whether 
there  was  one  of  the  crew  on  watch  aft.  To  any  one 
looking  through  the  cabin  from  the  companionway 
Trask  would  be  visible  against  the  lantern  hanging 
from  a  forestay  if  he  walked  erect  in  crossing  the 
cabin. 

Gaining  the  outer  deck,  he  stood  clear  of  the  door- 
way and  hugged  the  forward  bulkhead  of  the  cabin 
trunk,  taking  care  not  to  mask  the  forward  port-hole  of 
the  galley  with  his  back.  If  Doc  Bird  had  heard  him 
crawling  out,  he  might  be  of  an  inquiring  turn  of  mind, 


TRASK  INVESTIGATES  131 

in  his  present  panicky  condition,  and  explore  with  a 
knife  through  the  open  port. 

Trask  had  in  the  jacket  pocket  of  his  pajamas 
matches  and  cigarettes,  so  that  in  case  he  were 
challenged  he  could  assume  a  careless  manner  by  pre- 
paring to  have  a  smoke,  and  at  the  same  time  illumi- 
nate the  face  of  any  one  he  encountered. 

He  moved  forward  along  the  starboard  bulwark, 
feeling  his  way  with  his  bare  feet,  taking  great  pains 
not  to  stumble  over  any  obstacle.  He  could  make  out 
the  loom  of  the  island  over  the  starboard  quarter,  a 
black  spot  focussed  in  the  all-pervading  blackness  of 
the  night.  Everything  seemed  to  give  promise  of 
secrecy  for  him.  The  rasp  of  the  boom-jaws,  the 
swishing  of  coiled  ropes  on  the  pin-rails,  and  the  chirp- 
ing creak  of  the  shrouds  as  the  schooner  bobbed  and 
rolled  on  the  lulling  swells,  concealed  the  slight  sounds 
of  his  advance. 

He  stopped  and  looked  aft  every  few  steps,  listening 
for  noises  in  the  cabin.  He  could  see  the  faint  outline 
of  the  mizzen  boom  and  the  upper  edge  of  the  cabin. 
His  eyes,  better  adjusted  now  to  the  gloom,  saw  a  black 
shape  over  the  cabin  roof.  It  startled  him  for  a 


i32  ISLE  O'  DREAMS 

second,  for  he  thought  it  might  be  Jarrow  peering  to- 
ward him,  until  he  knew  it  for  a  roll  of  canvas  which 
had  been  left  there  to  spread  as  awning. 

He  went  on,  stopping  when  he  felt  the  well  of  the 
deck  rise  as  he  approached  the  forecastle.  Presently 
he  saw  a  tiny  point  of  light  flare  up  and  die  away. 
Then  he  caught  the  spicy  aroma  of  a  native  cigarette 
in  the  soft  air  charged  with  the  acrid  smell  of  new 
hemp,  the  resinous  odour  of  the  deck  seams,  the  sweet 
reek  of  opium  smoked  by  forgotten  crews  and  the 
earthy  flavour  of  the  jungles  close  at  hand. 

The  thought  came  to  him  that  perhaps  it  was  he 
who  was  exotic  in  the  schooner.  It  might  be  for  this 
reason  that  he  was  too  ready  to  mistake  normal  things 
as  evidences  of  a  menace  which  did  not  exist.  He 
wondered  if  this  fact  might  not  well  account  for  the 
formless  fears  he  had  felt  about  Peth  and  the  crew. 
Like  a  person  who  wakes  hi  the  night,  to  find  the 
windows  where  they  shouldn't  be,  his  judgment,  too, 
might  be  at  fault,  and  affairs  far  better  than  he  thought 
them. 

Trask  had  no  worries  for  himself.  The  pursuit  of 
gold  in  untrammelled  parts  of  the  world  was  his  busi- 


TRASK  INVESTIGATES  133 

ness,  and  at  times  danger  was  but  the  thrill  which 
went  with  the  game.  He  knew  that  if  he  were  the 
only  passenger  in  the  schooner  he  would  very  likely 
be  in  his  bunk  asleep  instead  of  hunting  trouble. 

But  he  felt  a  responsibility.  This  wild  project  of 
taking  a  young  woman  in  a  schooner,  with  a  crew  of 
men  who  had  all  the  outer  aspects  of  rascals,  and  a 
mild  madman,  to  hunt  an  island,  was  largely  his  own 
fault  and  Trask  now  realized  it. 

Locke  was  far  too  credulous,  or  rather  incredulous. 
Like  most  Americans  who  have  lived  quiet  lives  and 
attended  to  their  own  business,  he  lacked  imagination 
for  dangerous  possibilities  in  the  motives  of  others. 
Such  adventures  as  he  had  had  were  out  of  books, 
and  he  had  taken  it  for  granted  that  what  he  read  was 
always  improbable  and  impossible.  Such  people 
never  believe  in  danger  until  they  have  a  revolver 
thrust  into  their  faces.  And  Locke  had  come  aboard 
the  schooner  with  a  roll  of  yellow-backed  bills  so  big 
that  he  could  hold  in  his  hand  more  wealth  than  all 
the  ship's  company  together  could  earn  in  a  year  of 
honest  labour. 

Trask  almost  wished  he  had  declined  to  go  in  with 


134  ISLE  O'  DREAMS 

Locke  on  the  trip  to  the  island.  He  had  been  quite 
too  easy-going  about  it  all  himself,  neglecting  to  take 
precautions  about  Jarrow  and  the  crew  because  he  had 
been  reluctant  to  forego  the  pleasure  of  Miss  Marjorie's 
company.  Trask  had  been  exiled  so  long  in  far  cor- 
ners of  the  globe  that  he  was  strongly  averse  to  giving 
up  a  single  hour  to  business  details  which  he  might 
have  with  the  American  girl. 

Then  he  knew  that  to  tell  Locke  he  did  not  care  to  go 
to  the  island  and  later  to  go  by  himself  would  have 
been  sneakingly  selfish.  Now  that  they  were  embarked 
on  the  venture,  he  felt  that  he  must  do  all  he  possibly 
could  for  the  protection  of  his  companions.  He 
wished  that  he  had  demanded  an  investigation  when 
he  found  his  pistol  missing.  He  moved  forward  with 
careful  steps,  knowing  that  there  must  be  a  man  sitting 
on  the  forecastle  head  facing  toward  him,  else  he  could 
not  have  seen  the  light  from  the  cigarette. 

The  foremast  and  the  boom  were  faintly  visible  in 
relief  against  the  lighter  shade  of  the  sky,  and  knowing 
he  might  be  seen  above  the  bulwark,  Trask  moved 
away  from  the  edge  of  the  schooner,  and  drew  near  the 
base  of  the  foremast,  which  offered  better  concealment. 


TRASK  INVESTIGATES  135 

He  was  now  but  a  few  feet  from  the  forecastle  scuttle 
and  could  see  it  outlined  by  a  dim  pencilling  of  light. 
Voices  reached  him,  but  he  was  not  able  to  dis- 
tinguish any  words. 

Presently  he  heard  wary  footsteps  ahead,  and  saw 
a  figure  rise  up  and  go  into  the  bows,  marked  by  a 
faint,  comet-like  streak  of  light  which  must  be  the 
man's  cigarette.  The  spot  of  light  disappeared  for  a 
second  and  reappeared  again  in  a  swift,  descending 
arc  cut  off  by  the  bows.  The  smoker  had  thrown 
away  his  cigarette. 

For  several  minutes  Trask  watched  and  listened. 
The  man  on  the  forecastle  head  coughed  gently,  and 
then  came  clumping  aft,  dropped  to  the  main  deck  with 
a  smack  of  bare  feet,  and  drew  the  scuttle  aside,  to  put 
his  head  and  shoulders  down. 

"It's  all  right!"  Trask  heard  him  whisper,  hoarsely. 
He  recognized  him  as  Shope.  The  light  coming  up 
through  the  scuttle  illuminated  the  foremast  above 
Trask's  head  in  a  manner  disconcerting.  Trask 
ducked  down  under  the  boom. 

All  was  silence  below,  and  then  the  creaking  of  the 
steps  leading  up,  and  the  light  below  went  out.  There 


136  ISLE  O'  DREAMS 

were  sounds  of  men  coming  on  deck,  known  to  Trask 
by  the  rattle  of  the  scuttle  as  incautious  shoulders 
rasped  it  coming  out,  making  the  board  rattle  in  its 
grooves. 

There  was  a  conference  in  guarded  whispers,  and 
someone  started  aft  along  the  starboard  side.  Trask 
could  make  him  out  as  he  passed,  and  after  he  had 
disappeared  against  the  blackness  made  by  the  fore 
bulkhead  of  the  cabin  there  was  a  peculiar  rattle 
along  the  deck  in  his  wake. 

Trask  was  now  thoroughly  alarmed.  The-  crew 
could  not  be  out  on  deck  whispering  and  moving  about 
with  such  secrecy  with  any  good  intent  toward  those 
who  had  made  the  voyage  possible. 

The  rattle  along  the  deck  continued,  and  dropping 
to  his  hands  and  knees,  Trask  crawled  to  the  starboard 
side.  He  encountered  a  small,  hard  line,  like  a  lead- 
line, being  paid  out  from  the  forecastle  and  carried  aft 
by  the  man  who  had  passed.  Trask  put  his  hand  upon 
it  and  let  it  run  through  his  fingers  for  a  second. 

There  came  a  slight  patter  of  rain  and  Trask  made 
his  way  toward  the  cabin,  not  so  much  to  avoid  a 
wetting,  as  to  be  where  he  could  alarm  Jarrow  and 


TRASK  INVESTIGATES  137 

Locke  if  there  appeared  to  be  any  necessity  to  in- 
vestigate the  actions  of  the  crew. 

It  was  all  rather  absurd,  he  thought.  There  was 
nothing  especially  sinister  about  sailors  carrying  a  line 
aft.  To  demand  what  it  was  about  and  make  himself 
known  would  only  serve  to  make  him  ridiculous  if  the 
explanation  proved  to  be  the  carrying  out  of  some 
legitimate  duty.  Being  quiet,  with  the  vessel  at 
anchor,  was  hardly  to  be  condemned.  And  if  it  turned 
out  that  the  crew  were  preparing  trouble  it  was  no 
time  to  show  that  they  were  being  watched  unless  the 
danger  were  imminent. 

He  stepped  into  the  galley  and  felt  along  the  bulk- 
head for  the  row  of  knives  he  had  seen  in  their  leathern 
pockets.  He  pulled  out  a  large  one,  judging  its  size 
by  the  thickness  of  its  handle.  It  was  a  formidable 
weapon. 

Dinshaw  was  still  breathing  musically.  So  far  as 
Trask  could  tell,  all  hands  in  the  cabin  were  asleep. 
He  passed  through  with  great  care,  smiling  at  the 
figure  he  would  cut  if  he  were  challenged  and  found 
with  a  great  knife  in  his  hands  sneaking  about  the 
cabin.  He,  rather  than  the  crew,  would  be  held 


138  ISLE  O'  DREAMS 

guilty  of  some  dangerous  intention  against  the  safety 
of  the  schooner. 

The  rain  was  now  striking  the  cabin  roof  with  sweep- 
ing gusts.  It  was  not  a  heavy  downpour,  but  a  threat 
of  more  to  come,  the  weak  advance  guard  of  an 
approaching  deluge. 

Ascending  the  companion,  he  put  his  head  out  far 
enough  to  see  a  shape  moving  at  the  tanrail,  evidently 
a  man  bent  over  some  task.  Then  it  moved  away  to 
starboard,  slowly,  and  Trask  heard  a  gentle  blowing, 
as  one  might  make  in  clearing  the  nostrils  of  rain. 

Trask  now  felt  rather  ashamed  of  himself.  Instead 
of  an  attack  on  the  cabin,  the  man  who  had  come  aft 
had  gone  about  his  business  and  departed.  There 
was  nothing  to  be  alarmed  about  in  that,  surely. 

So  Trask  went  to  the  forward  door  and  looked  out 
on  deck,  putting  the  knife  away  in  the  galley  without, 
however,  attempting  to  insert  it  in  the  leather  sheath. 
Then  he  stood  in  the  doorway,  and  listened. 

The  man  could  be  seen  moving  along  the  starboard 
side  slowly.  Trask  caught  a  foreign  sound,  a  gurgle 
which  he  at  first  mistook  for  rain  water  running  from 
the  scuppers.  But  the  deck  was  scarcely  wet  and, 


TRASK  INVESTIGATES  139 

besides,  the  sound  was  to  starboard.  Water  running 
off  would  go  to  port,  for  the  schooner  was  heeled  a 
little  in  that  direction. 

Soon  there  was  a  rasping  along  the  hull,  and  em- 
boldened by  the  fact  that  the  man  who  had  brought 
the  line  aft  was  now  well  forward,  Trask  stepped  to  the 
bulwark  and  looked  over  the  side. 

At  first  he  could  see  nothing  in  the  blackness  below, 
but  a  new  flurry  of  rain  came,  and  the  drops  striking 
the  water  hissingly  made  it  slightly  luminous,  out- 
lining a  dark,  formless  mass  close  to  the  side  of  the 
schooner.  It  moved  forward  slowly,  its  progress 
coincident  with  the  movement  of  the  man  going  along 
the  rail.  Trask  could  see  his  head  and  shoulders 
against  the  fog-like  sheen  of  the  water  over  the 
bows. 

At  once  the  whole  affair  was  made  plain  to  Trask. 
The  dinghy,  which  had  been  lowered  from  the  after 
davits  when  the  Nuestra  anchored,  was  being  stolen! 
The  crew  were  pulling  it  forward  by  the  line  which  the 
man  had  taken  aft,  and  this  man  was  keeping  the  boat 
clear  of  the  schooner's  side.  The  line  evidently  had 
been  made  fast  to  the  dinghy's  painter. 


140  ISLE  O'  DREAMS 

Here,  indeed,  was  something  which  gave  every 
appearance  of  being  underhand  work.  With  the 
Golden  Isle  only  a  few  hundred  yards  distant,  and  all 
hands  to  go  ashore  in  the  morning,  there  could  be  no 
other  reason  for  stealing  the  dinghy  than  a  plan  to 
visit  the  island  under  cover  of  darkness.  The  plan 
foreshadowed  treachery.  The  crew  sought  some 
knowledge  which  they  wanted  before  the  other  mem- 
bers of  the  expedition  could  be  aware  of  conditions  on 
the  island. 

Trask  saw  at  once  the  purpose  of  the  crew,  although 
he  had  no  way  of  knowing  how  they  intended  to  gain 
any  advantage  to  themselves  unless  they  contemplated 
abandoning  the  Nuestra,  or  destroying  it  and  those 
remaining  aboard.  He  had  no  doubt  the  scheme  was 
to  learn  whether  or  not  there  was  gold,  and  so  to  act,  in 
the  event  they  found  it  in  great  quantities,  that  they 
would  be  assured  of  having  it  for  themselves. 

It  was  a  wild  idea,  this  going  out  in  the  night  to  hunt 
gold.  But  it  was  plain  that  the  cupidity  of  the  crew 
had  been  aroused  by  the  prospect  of  a  shining,  yellow 
beach.  But  what  was  to  Trask  far  more  important, 
and  fraught  with  danger  to  Marjorie,  Locke,  Dinshaw, 


TRASK  INVESTIGATES  141 

Jarrow,  and  himself,  was  the  knowledge  that  Peth,  if 
not  the  leader  of  the  enterprise,  at  least  must  be  aware 
of  what  was  taking  place. 

The  rain  came  on  now  with  steady,  monotonous 
force,  turning  the  sea  into  a  boiling  cauldron.  Trask, 
drenched  in  the  first  minutes  of  the  downpour,  re- 
mained where  he  was,  crouching  under  the  bulwark 
with  his  head  high  enough  to  get  the  bulwark  forward 
against  the  gray  luminosity  of  the  beaten  water. 

So  concealed,  if  it  could  be  called  concealment,  in 
the  darkness  of  the  schooner,  he  saw  four  figures  go 
over  the  side,  and  heard  them  fumbling  in  the  dinghy. 
They  pushed  off  gently  and  rowed  away  in  the  di- 
rection of  the  island,  amid  the  muffled  click  of  oars. 
Before  proceeding  but  a  few  yards  the  boat  was  lost  to 
him  in  the  welter  of  steaming  water  and  all-enveloping 
blackness. 

Trask  suffered  from  a  chill,  but  he  remained  where 
he  was,  wondering  what  could,  or  should,  be  done. 
Jarrow  must  be  warned.  The  sky  now  turned  lighter, 
being  relieved  of  its  burdened  clouds,  and  the  rain  be- 
gan to  fall  off,  until  it  was  merely  a  gentle  trickle. 

Dripping  like  a  water  spaniel  returning  to  the  shore, 


i42  ISLE  O'  DREAMS 

Trask  turned  in  to  the  door  of  the  main  cabin,  planning 
to  rid  himself  of  his  wet  clothing,  get  into  some  dry 
garments,  and  call  Jarrow. 

As  he  felt  his  way  into  the  deeper  gloom  he  heard 
a  movement  close  at  hand,  and  stopped,  leaning 
against  the  bulkhead,  just  abaft  of  the  galley.  He 
saw  that  the  light  from  outside  marked  the  cabin  door 
as  a  great  rectangle  in  which  a  moving  form  could 
easily  be  seen  from  the  inside. 

"Who's  that?"  came  a  whisper. 

"Who  are  you?"  demanded  Trask,  whispering,  but 
more  boldly,  and  with  something  of  defiance  in  his 
tone. 

"Doc  Bird,  Mr.  Trask,"  came  the  answer.  "Fo' 
the  Ian'  sake,  what  yo'  all  doin'  out  in  the  rain, 
man?" 

"Keep  quiet,"  said  Trask,  unpleasantly  aware  of 
rivulets  racing  down  his  heels.  He  followed  the  bulk- 
head straight  aft,  conscious  that  Bird  was  in  the  door- 
way of  the  cook's  room,  past  Dinshaw's  room,  to  the 
door  of  Jarrow's,  which  he  opened  softly. 

"  Captain  Jarrow ! "  he  called,  in  a  low  voice.  "  Cap- 
tain Jarrow!" 


TRASK  INVESTIGATES  143 

There  was  no  reply.  He  listened  for  the  regular 
breathing  of  the  sleeping  captain.  Then  he  went 
inside  and  felt  along  Jarrow's  bunk.  The  sheet 
was  rumpled  and  thrown  back  but  Jarrow  was  not 
there. 


CHAPTER  X 

CAPTAIN  JARROW   ADMITS    HE    Is   SUSPICIOUS  OF 

PETH 

TRASK  went  to  his  room  at  once,  and  strip- 
ping off  his  wet  pajamas,  dressed  hurriedly. 
His  discovery  that  Jarrow  was  missing  seemed 
to  verify  his  suspicions  that  the  captain  was  not  play- 
ing fair.     His  absence  from  his  room  was  the  most 
alarming  thing  which  had  happened  yet  aboard  the 
Nuestra,  and,  as  Trask  saw  it,  the  fact  pointed  to  a 
betrayal  of  trust. 

But  the  young  man  decided  he  would  withhold  any 
decision  regarding  the  captain  until  the  latter  had  a 
chance  to  explain  why  the  crew  should  put  off  in  a 
boat  in  the  night,  and  why  Jarrow  was  not  in  his  cabin. 
There  might  be  a  reason  for  it  all  which  would  be  per- 
fectly plausible,  if  not  convincing  of  the  captain's  good 
intentions. 

Doc  came  to  the  door  of  his  room,  and  whispered: 

"Yo'  aU  want  the  lamp  goin',  Mr.  Trask?" 

144 


CAPTAIN  JARROW  IS  SUSPICIOUS     145 

"  No,"  said  Trask.  "  You  go  to  bed  and  keep  still." 
He  felt  that  the  steward  was  inordinately  curious 
about  the  visit  to  the  captain's  room  and  why  Trask 
was  walking  about  outside. 

"Cap'n  Jarrow,  he's  gone  for'ard,"  offered  Doc, 
still  standing  in  the  frame  of  the  door,  barely  per- 
ceptible. 

"Forward!"  whispered  Trask,  surprised.  This 
news  meant  one  of  two  explanations  for  what  he  had 
seen — the  business  was  legitimate,  and  under  the 
direction  of  Jarrow,  or  Jarrow  was  involved  with  the 
crew  in  whatever  treachery  was  afoot. 

"Yassir,"  continued  Doc.  "He's  got  all  hands 
messin'  'round  at  somethin'.  I  reckon  the  old  man  he 
looks  for  it  to  come  on  to  blow." 

"  I  see,"  said  Trask.  "  Well,  I'm  going  out.  May- 
be I  can  be  of  some  help.  Keep  quiet,  or  you'll  wake 
everybody  up." 

Doc  withdrew  from  the  door,  and  Trask  heard  him 
shuffling  to  his  own  room,  expressing  some  opinion  in  a 
whisper  which  Trask  could  not  make  out,  except  that 
it  was  to  the  effect  that  he  hadn't  started  this  "walkin' 
round  like  ha'nts  in  the  middle  of  the  night." 


i46  ISLE  O'  DREAMS 

Trask  went  on  deck  and  moved  forward  boldly. 
The  squall  which  had  passed  left  the  air  fresh  and 
cool,  and  the  sky  was  not  so  black,  although  the 
schooner  was  still  in  gloom.  But  her  bulwarks  were 
more  clearly  denned  against  the  water,  and  Trask 
could  see  a  figure  on  the  starboard  bow  which  looked 
like  a  man  standing  and  peering  in  the  direction  of  the 
island. 

"Who's  that?"  came  Jarrow's  voice  as  Trask  drew 
near.  His  voice  was  low  and  cautious. 

"Mr.  Trask." 

"Oh." 

"  Can't  sleep,"  said  Trask.     "  What's  going  on?  " 

"Storm  wake  ye  up?" 

"Not  exactly.  I've  been  wakeful  since  I  went  to 
my  room." 

"  Guess  we  woke  ye  up." 

"Well,  I've  heard  considerable  movement,  and  it 
made  me  curious." 

"How  long  ye  been  out?" 

"I  was  out  when  it  first  rained." 

"Oh,  then  it  was  you!" 

"I?    I  don't  understand." 


CAPTAIN  JARROW  IS  SUSPICIOUS     147 

"Loafin'  along  the  rail." 

"Yes,  I  stood  there  for  awhile." 

"Thought  you  was  one  of  the  men  soldierin'  on  the 
job." 

"I  saw  a  boat  put  off." 

"Yes,"  said  Jarrow,  as  if  neither  the  boat  nor  the 
fact  that  Trask  had  seen  it  was  of  any  interest  to  him. 

"What's  up?"  asked  Trask. 

Jarrow  made  no  reply,  but  stepped  off  the  forecastle 
head  with  a  noise  of  wet,  swishing  oilskins,  and 
fumbled  for  a  minute.  Then  the  lantern  in  the  fore- 
stay  bobbed  down  and  up,  and  he  came  back  to  where 
Trask  stood. 

Presently  the  captain  struck  a  match,  and  twisted 
his  head  to  one  side  to  light  a  cigar,  his  eyes  peering  at 
him  over  the  flame. 

"Didn't  do  much  good  to  keep  quiet  so  you  could 
sleep,"  said  Jarrow,  grinning  into  the  flame.  Then  he 
puffed  hard  at  the  cigar. 

"Naturally,  I'm  filled  with  expectation  about  the 
island,"  said  Trask.  He  knew  Jarrow  was  none  too 
cordial,  and  seemed  bent  on  showing  disapproval  of 
Trask's  being  abroad. 


i48  ISLE  O'  DREAMS 

"You  better  git  some  sleep,"  said  Jarrow. 

"Do  you  look  for  bad  weather?"  asked  Trask. 

"Yes,"  said  Jarrow,  with  sudden  heartiness.  "I 
look  for  anything  in  these  latitudes  at  this  season.  At 
ten  o'clock  the  barometer  showed  a  disturbance  of  the 
diurnal  range.  It's  below  maximum." 

"Typhoon?" 

"Maybe.  But  I'm  takin'  no  chances.  I've  got 
the  crew  out  with  a  kedge  anchor,  up  in  that  channel 
behind  the  reef,  to  haul  hi  there  if  things  look  bad. 
Lie  snug  as  a  bug  in  a  rug.  That  reef's  a  natural 
breakwater." 

"Then  the  boat  took  out  a  kedge?" 

"Yes." 

"Did  Mr.  Pethgo,too?" 

"Why,  yes,  Mr.  Peth  he's  out  there.  He's  got  an 
anchor  laid  out  in  the  boat,  to  buoy  it.  He's  sounding 
along  inside  the  reef.  We'll  take  a  hawser  out  in  the 
mornin',  but  if  the  weather  falls,  we  can  make  fast 
right  away.  He'll  run  a  heavin'  line  from  the  buoy 
so  we  can  find  it  in  the  dark.  I  take  it  you're  satisfied, 
Mr.  Trask?" 

"Satisfied?     Certainly."    Trask  was  surprised  at 


CAPTAIN  JARROW  IS  SUSPICIOUS     149 

the  sharpness  and  obvious  animus  in  Jarrow's  ques- 
tion. His  tone,  despite  the  fact  that  he  spoke  scarcely 
above  a  whisper,  carried  a  sneer.  Trask  was  on  the 
point  of  asking  Jarrow  if  he  had  ever  questioned  his 
methods  of  navigation  or  seamanship,  but  he  held  his 
tongue  for  it  was  no  time  to  precipitate  a  quarrel. 

Trask  suspected  that  Jarrow  had  overheard  him  in 
some  remark  about  the  delay  of  the  schooner  getting 
up  to  the  island,  or  had  caught  disapproval  in  his 
manner  that  afternoon.  It  was  natural  enough  for  a 
sailing  master  to  resent  the  slightest  implication  that 
he  was  not  efficient,  and  Trask  was  not  so  much  con- 
cerned with  Jarrow's  hidden  meaning  on  that  score  as 
with  his  covert  acknowledgment  that  he  had  been 
watchful  of  Trask's  attitude.  It  was  something  to 
know  that  Jarrow  was  keen  enough  to  divine  the  fact 
that  Trask  was  secretly  critical. 

"  I  guess  you  thought  we  was  slow  in  makin'  anchor- 
age," suggested  Jarrow. 

This  abruptness  in  reaching  the  very  subject  which 
Trask  was  considering  made  him  wary  of  the  captain. 
It  was  plainly  a  bid  for  an  expression  of  Trask's  ideas. 
Jarrow  was  angling  for  Trask's  opinion  to  learn 


150  ISLE  O'  DREAMS 

whether  he  might  be  easily  misled,  or  perhaps  ascertain 
if  Trask's  coining  out  to  investigate  now  was  part  of 
his  general  feeling  that  Jarrow  was  not  to  be  trusted. 

"Well,  naturally,"  said  Trask,  after  a  moment's 
hesitation,  "we  were  anxious  to  get  here  as  soon  as 
possible,  yet  we  realized  that  you  had  to  take  precau- 
tions." 

"  Can't  take  no  chances  with  this  kind  of  a  bottom," 
said  Jarrow.  "Might  be  easy  to  git  in  through  them 
coral  patches,  but  I've  got  to  know  how  to  git  out,  and 
how  to  git  out  under  the  worst  conditions.  Some  of 
them  patches  probably  break  with  the  least  little  sea 
on.  If  I  had  to  beat  out  against  a  head  wind  in  the 
dark,  I  don't  want  to  pile  up  on  breakers  with " 

Jarrow  stopped  to  listen.  The  sound  of  oars  came 
to  their  ears  off  toward  the  black  shape  of  the  island. 

"You  better  git  some  sleep,"  said  Jarrow. 

"  All  right,"  said  Trask.     "  Good-night,  captain." 

"  Good-night,  sir.  And  don't  you  be  worried  none 
about  noises  out  here.  I'm  a-lookin'  after  things." 

"Did  you  think  I  was  worried?"  asked  Trask, 
stopping. 

This  was  apparently  a  poser  for  Jarrow,  who  took 


CAPTAIN  JARROW  IS  SUSPICIOUS     151 

his  cigar  out  of  his  mouth,  and  was  a  full  minute  in 
framing  a  reply.  Trask  would  have  given  a  good  deal 
to  see  his  face. 

"  I  didn't  take  you  that  way,"  said  Jarrow. 

Trask  went  back  beside  him.  The  young  man  felt 
that  it  was  a  mistake  to  allow  Jarrow  to  dismiss  him  as 
he  had,  with  the  curt  suggestion  that  he  go  back  to  bed. 

"Then  I  want  to  assure  you,"  said  Trask,  speaking 
slowly  and  in  a  tone  intended  to  carry  conviction  of 
just  how  he  felt,  "that  I'm  not  the  worrying  kind, 
Captain  Jarrow.  And  if  Mr.  Peth  gets  to  acting  up, 
I'm  prepared  to  deal  with  him  myself." 

"Oh,  hush!"  said  Jarrow,  in  a  low  whisper.  "We 
can't  have  any  talk  like  that  for'ard  here." 

"I  don't  care  who  hears  me,"  went  on  Trask,  deter- 
mined to  carry  out  his  bluff.  "  I've  been  out  on  deck 
for  quite  a  while,  and  to  be  frank,  I  didn't  like  the  idea 
of  a  boat  going  off  this  way.  If  it's  your  plan  to  kedge, 
and  you  think  it  is  necessary,  all  right.  I'm  not  a 
sailor.  But  I  do  know  you  haven't  got  Mr.  Peth  or 
the  crew  very  well  in  hand,  so  if " 

"Hush  up,  Mr.  Trask,  for  God's  sake!"  implored 
Jarrow,  stepping  over  to  Trask  and  putting  his  hand  on 


iS2  ISLE  O'  DREAMS 

his  arm.  "  There  is  trouble  brewing,  but  I  don't  know 
what  it's  about.  I'm  holdin'  things  off  till  the  mornin'. 
I  don't  look  for  nothin'  to  come  of  it." 

"Trouble?  What  sort  of  trouble?"  demanded 
Trask,  amazed  at  the  captain's  revelation. 

"I    don't    know,"    admitted    Jarrow.     "May    be 
everythin'  and  nothin'.    It's  that  Peth's  too  thick 
with  the  crew,  and  it's  bad  when  a  mate  gits  to 
standin'  out  with  the  fo'c's'le  agin  the  master." 
"  Do  you  want  me  to  understand  that  it's — mutiny?" 
"I  said  I  don't  know  what  it  is,  Mr.  Trask." 
"  How  about  Bevins?    Is  he  in  on  it,  too?  " 
"All  hands.    They're  off  there  in  the  dinghy  now, 
and  I  don't  know  what  they're  up  to." 
"So  you're  not  putting  out  a  kedge?" 
"No,  sir.    That  was  to  git  you  back  to  your  bunk. 
I  was  out  on  deck  before  you  was,  and  Peth  sneaked  the 
dinghy.     I  suppose  they've  got  some  fool  idea  that 

there's  a  lot  of  gold  on  the  island,  and " 

Jarrow  broke  off  and  said  no  more.  Trask  thought 
he  had  heard  something  and  waited  for  him  to  go  on, 
but  after  a  long  pause  the  captain  did  not  seem  in- 
clined to  say  anything  more,  but  took  long  pulls  on  his 


CAPTAIN  JARROW  IS  SUSPICIOUS     153 

cigar,  which  he  kept  shaded  from  the  sea  behind  his 
hand. 

Trask's  mind  worked  rapidly.  If  anything,  the 
truth  from  Jarrow  that  there  was  danger  from  Peth 
and  the  crew  had  steadied  him,  and  while  he  realized 
his  helpless  position  if  Jarrow  were  deceiving  him,  he  at 
least  had  proof  of  a  desperate  situation  aboard  the 
schooner. 

"What  do  you  think  they  would  do  if  they  found 
gold  on  the  island,  captain?" 

"Don't  ask  me.  Might  come  back  and  burn  the 
Nuestra" 

"Sounds  interesting,"  said  Trask. 

"Mebbe  you  think  I'm  jokin'  of  you?"  said  Jar- 
row. 

"Not  at  all.  I  wouldn't  put  murder  beyond  that 
lot.  There's  something  I've  wanted  to  tell  you  since 
we  left  Manila,  but  I  didn't  want  to  do  anybody  an  in- 
justice." 

"What's  that?" 

"Somebody  stole  one  of  my  automatic  pistols  be- 
fore I'd  been  aboard  a  quarter  of  an  hour." 

"No!" 


i54  ISLE  O'  DREAMS 

"Yes.    It  was  taken  from  my  bag  in  my  room." 

"Mighty  Nelson!  You  should  ha*  told  me,  Mr. 
Trask !  Who  do  ye  think  got  it?  " 

"I've  every  reason  to  suspect  Mr.  Peth.  It  was 
missing  right  after  he  moved  his  stuff  out  of  my  room. 
The  bag  had  been  opened  and  closed  again  very  care- 
fully, strapped  and  buckled.  The  man  who  took  it 
had  plenty  of  time  and  wanted  to  make  sure  he  wasn't 
suspected  right  away.  At  least,  he  didn't  want  the 
loss  noticed  at  once." 

"So  Mr.  Peth's  got  an  automatic  gun,  eh?"  said 
Jarrow,  rather  in  a  musing  way,  and  drawing  a  deep 
breath. 

"I  might  not  have  missed  it  for  days,"  went  on 
Trask, "  but  I  had  two,  and " 

"Two!" 

"I  had  a  pair  of  them." 

"And  Peth  got  away  with  both  of  'em ! " 

"  No,  only  one.  I  have  the  other,  and  Mr.  Locke  has 
two.  I  went  down  to  oil  mine  after  Peth  moved  out, 
and  found  one  gone  when " 

"Then  we're  all  right,"  said  Jarrow.  "If  you  and 
Mr.  Locke  brought  guns  we  don't  need  to  worry.  I've 


CAPTAIN  JARROW  IS  SUSPICIOUS     155 

got  a  couple,  myself.  I  guess  we  can  handle  anything 
that  carries  away  for'ard  here." 

"Why  did  you  move  the  lantern?"  demanded 
Trask. 

"Oh,"  said  Jarrow,  "I  had  a  mind  to  take  it  down 
so  they  couldn't  find  their  way  back  to  the  schooner 
till  mornin'  unless  it  cleared  up  in  good  shape.  But  it 
won't  clear.  Smells  like  more  rain." 

" I  think  it's  a  good  scheme,"  said  Trask.  "Let  'em 
stay  off  hi  the  boat.  Then  we'll  put  Peth  in  irons 
when  he  comes  aboard  in  the  morning  if  we  think  he's 
been  up  to  mischief,  or  plans  trouble.  We  can  handle 
the  others.  We  can't  take  any  chances  with  Miss 
Locke  aboard." 

"You're  right!"  said  Jarrow.  "I'll  douse  the  glim 
and  let  'em  stay.  If  they  want  to  cut  up  any  didoes 
we  can  work  the  Nuestra  back  to  Manila  ourselves  and 
the  government  '11  take  care  of  'em  for  us." 

Jarrow  clumped  down  off  the  forecastle  head  and 
lowered  the  lantern,  clapped  his  sou'wester  over  it,  and 
snuffed  the  flame  out  between  his  fingers.  Trask 
observed  the  grimness  of  his  face  as  the  light  played  on 
it  during  the  brief  instant  the  lantern  was  coming  down 


i56  ISLE  O'  DREAMS 

and  the  determined  set  of  his  jaw  as  his  teeth  gripped 

the  cigar. 

They  stood  in  the  darkness,  silent  for  a  few  minutes, 
listening,  and  caught  again  the  rattle  of  oars  in  locks 
at  quite  a  distance.  The  boat  seemed  to  be  moving 
about  cautiously,  feeling  its  way  in  behind  the  reef. 

"I  can't  make  out  what  the  devil  they're  up  to," 
said  Jarrow  in  a  grumbling  sort  of  whisper.  "Peth 
never  did  have  much  sense.  Sometimes  I've  thought 
he  was  clean  out  of  his  head." 

"Then  you've  had  doubts  about  him  since  we  left 
Manila?" 

"No,  can't  say's  I  have.  I  don't  pay  no  attention 
to  his  tantrums  gene'lly.  He's  up  and  he's  down,  just 
how  he  feels.  But  he  picked  this  crew  from  a  lot  of  his 
old  shipmates  so  they'll  stand  by  him  if  he's  set  on 
makin*  trouble,  and  he  knows  it.  I  didn't  like  the 
looks  of  things  to-day,  so  I  kept  my  weather  eye 
peeled.  He  lowered  the  dinghy  on  his  own,  without 
sayin*  a  world  to  me,  and  I  smelled  a  rat,  so  I  kept 
watch.  I  didn't  want  to  git  you  folks  scared  up,  so 
when  you  come  out  I  thought  I'd  pass  it  off  and  wait 
to  see  what  their  game  was.  I  wouldn't  say  nothin'  to 


CAPTAIN  JARROW  IS  SUSPICIOUS      157 

Mr.  Locke  'bout  it,  and  I'll  see  what's  to  be  done 
come  daylight." 

"Do  you  think  they'll  make  a  fight  if  you  don't  let 
'em  aboard?" 

"  Wouldn't  do  no  good  if  they  did.  We  can  keep  'em 
off,  now  that  you  and  Mr.  Locke  have  guns.  They 
can't  live  on  air.  You  ought  to  try  to  git  some  sleep." 

"  I'll  stick  it  out  with  you." 

"Ain't  no  use  of  us  two  standin'  watch  all  night. 
You'll  be  all  beat  out  to-morrow  night,  and  with 
things  like  they  are,  you  won't  git  no  chance  to  sleep 
to-morrow.  If  they  come  back,  I'll  call  you  in  tune  to 
have  the  weather  on  'em." 

Jarrow's  advice  sounded  sensible  enough.  With 
the  crew  out  in  a  boat  there  was  little  imminent  dan- 
ger, and  Trask  felt  that  it  would  be  wise  to  remain  aft, 
for  if  the  crew  suspected  their  game  was  known  they 
might  attempt  to  board  the  schooner  from  the  stern. 
They  would  probably  interpret  the  disappearance  of 
the  riding  light  as  discovery  aboard  the  schooner  that 
they  were  missed  and  then-  treachery  revealed  to  the 
heads  of  the  expedition. 

So  Trask  decided  to  go  back  to  his  room,  even  if  he 


iS8  ISLE  0'  DREAMS 

did  not  sleep,  and  being  assured  by  Jarrow  that  im- 
mediately there  was  any  sign  of  the  boat  he  would  be 
called,  he  made  his  way  aft  and  went  to  bed  fully 
dressed  except  for  his  shoes. 

He  had  scarcely  rolled  into  his  bunk  before  he  heard 
cautious  footsteps  in  the  cabin,  and  Doc  Bird  came 
scratching  at  his  door. 

"I  reckon  somethings  powerful  wrong,  Mr.  Trask," 
he  whispered. 

"You  get  out  of  here  and  go  to  bed,"  said  Trask. 
"  And  don't  show  a  light  for  any  reason  until  you  have 
orders  to." 

"  I  got  to  be  up  early  to  make  flapjack  batter  fo'  yo' 
all,"  was  Doc's  reply.  "I  reckon  I'll  have  to  have  a 
light  in  the  galley  and  the  fire  goin'  right  smart  long 
befo'  the  chickens  is  crowin'  fo'  day." 

Trask  knew  it  would  do  no  good  to  get  out  of 
patience  with  Doc,  for  he  was  incorrigibly  persistent 
and  friendly  in  the  face  of  any  rebuff. 

"  Don't  make  any  fire  or  light  any  lamps  until  you're 
told  to,"  Trask  reiterated.  "And  for  heaven's  sake, 
let  me  and  everybody  else  get  some  sleep.  Get  some 
for  yourself.  Run  along." 


CAPTAIN  JARROW  IS  SUSPICIOUS      159 

"Oh,  don't  yo'  fret  none  fo'  me,  Mr.  Trask.  I'm  a 
regular  squinch  owl,"  and  he  chuckled  audibly,  as  if 
his  ability  to  do  without  sleep  were  a  rare  joke. 

"I'm  not,"  retorted  Trask,  and  rolled  over  sig- 
nificantly. 

"You  don't  reckon  Mr.  Peth  he's  actin'  up  none,  do 
ye?  The  skipper  he  goes  walkin'  'round  like  he  had 
somethin'  wearin*  down  on  his  mind." 

c  You  better  ask  him,  Doc,"  said  Trask. 

"Huh!  Ketch  me  goin'  out  and  confabbin'  around 
with  the  ol'  man !  He'd  shore  hang  somethin'  on  mah 
haid.  Mr.  Trask,  'fo'  God,  I  can't  git  no  sleep  when 
I'm  a-worried.  It  all  kind  o'  makes  my  skin  go  all 
crawly  when  there's  somethin'  projectin'  around  and  I 
don't  know  of  it.  Yo'  shore  there  ain't  nothin'  bad 
nohow?" 

"  There  will  be,  if  you  don't  get  out  of  that  door !  Go 
bring  some  water." 

Doc  gurgled  with  a  suppressed  chuckle,  and  went  to 
the  galley,  where  he  could  be  heard  pulling  a  cork  in 
the  dark.  He  was  back  in  a  minute,  and  handed  a 
glass  in  to  Trask,  who  sat  up  to  take  it  and  drink. 

"If  somebody  hadn't  a-swiped  that  gun  o'  yourn,  I 


160  ISLE  O'  DREAMS 

would  take  no  bother  of  it  if  Mr.  Peth  gits  contrary 
with " 

"I've  got  another  gun,"  said  Trask.  "And  Mr. 
Locke  has  two." 

Doc  was  silent  for  a  time,  as  if  he  were  pondering  the 
matter. 

"Yo'  all  shore  come  a-lookin'  for  b'ar,"  he  opined, 
taking  the  glass  which  Trask  thrust  out  at  him.  "  But 
yo'  all  don't  need  to  be  squirmish  about  Mr.  Peth. 
If  he  goes  to  act  up,  I'll  settle  his  hash." 

"How's  that?" 

Doc  chuckled  again. 

"I  know  how  to  handle  that  low-down  trash,"  he 
whispered,  tragically.  "I'd  drap  somethin'  in  his  tea. 
Good-night,  Mr.  Trask." 

"  Good-night,  Doc.     Don't  make  a  light." 

"No,  sah,"  and  the  steward  crept  away  to  his  bunk, 
leaving  Trask  staring  up  into  the  dark,  turning  over 
the  situation  in  his  mind,  and  waiting  for  the  dawn. 


CHAPTER  XI 
MR.  PETH  DOES  MOST  AMAZING  THINGS 

TRASK  was  up  at  dawn,  and  slipping  out  on 
deck,  saw  Jarrow  sitting  on  the  forecastle  head, 
drinking  coffee,  a  plate  of  biscuits  beside  him, 
while  he  kept  watch  on  the  island. 

Doc  stuck  his  head  out  of  the  galley.  "  Coffee,  Mr. 
Trask?"  he  called,  cautiously. 

Trask  went  back  and  stood  in  the  door  while  he 
scanned  the  shore  of  the  island.  The  sun  had  come 
out  of  the  sea,  red  and  bleary,  and  from  the  jun- 
gle came  the  calls  of  birds  and  the  shrill  cry  of  a 
parrot  evidently  in  distress  about  something  hi  the 
brush. 

There  was  not  a  sign  of  the  dinghy.  The  schooner 
lay  still  in  a  pool  of  colourful  water,  the  coral  and 
weeds  on  the  bottom  in  plain  view,  some  of  the  sway- 
ing plants  magnified  by  refraction.  There  was  no  air 

161 


162  ISLE  O'  DREAMS 

stirring,  and  from  the  far  end  of  the  island  a  morning 
haze  was  rising  like  smoke  from  flats  which  appeared  to 
be  salt  marshes. 

Trask  filled  the  basin  at  the  water  butt  and  washed 
his  sticky  face.  Doc,  who  evidently  was  astir  before 
the  cook,  became  emboldened  by  the  fact  that  Trask 
was  up,  and  rattled  the  dishes  in  the  galley  with  reck- 
lessness. Trask  cautioned  him  when  he  came  out  with 
the  cup  and  proffered  the  impromptu  breakfast. 

"Have  you  heard  anything?"  he  asked,  as  the 
steward  stood  beside  him,  loath  to  go  back  to  his 
duties. 

"Me?  Lordy,  no,  Mr.  Trask!  We  been  just  lak'  a 
buryin'  ground !  It  gives  me  the  creeps  to  have  things 
so  daid." 

"Seen  anything  of  the  boat?" 

"Boat?"    Doc  rolled  his  eyes,  puzzled. 

"  Go  in  and  get  breakfast,"  said  Trask,  passing  the 
cup  back,  and  went  along  forward  to  learn  what  Jar- 
row  had  to  report. 

"Not  a  sight  of  'em,"  said  the  captain,  who  ap- 
peared to  be  as  fresh  as  if  he  had  slept  all  night. 

"  That's  queer,"  said  Trask.    "  I  thought  they'd  try 


MR.  PETH  DOES  AMAZING  THINGS     163 

to  sneak  back  during  the  night.  What  can  they  be 
up  to?  You  don't  think  they've  abandoned  us 
entirely?" 

"Now  ye  got  me,"  said  Jarrow.  "I  guess  Peth's 
crazy  in  his  head.  He's  got  'em  all  buggy  on  this  gold 
business,  far's  I  can  see.  All  right,  let  'em  stick  to 
Peth." 

"But  they'll  starve,"  said  Trask.  "Suppose  they 
did  find  gold  in  piles?  What  good  would  it  do  them? 
They'd  have  to  beg  to  be  taken  back  aboard  here, 
wouldn't  they?" 

Jarrow  blew  into  his  coffee,  gulped  some  of  it,  and 
raised  his  eyes  in  utter  dejection  to  look  over  at  the 
island.  The  schooner  lay  with  her  head  to  the  north- 
east in  response  to  a  current  that  came  around  the 
northern  end  of  the  island  and  almost  parallel  with  it. 

"When  people  are  out  of  their  heads,  no  knowin' 
what  they'll  do,"  declared  Jarrow.  "Peth,  he's  al- 
ways for  makin'  money  in  heaps.  He  can't  see  beyond 
his  nose.  Now  I'm  for  goin'  safe  and  sure.  You  ain't 
got  no  idea  how  he's  bothered  me  off  and  on  for  the  last 
couple  years.  But  I  had  to  humour  him — he  owns  an 
eighth  of  the  Nuestra" 


i64  ISLE  O'  DREAMS 

"He  can't  have  much  sense  if  he  thinks  gold's  to  be 
sacked  up  and  carted  away,"  said  Trask.  "  Here's 
Mr.  Locke." 

"Looks  like  this  ought  to  be  a  good  place  to  fish," 
said  Locke,  coming  forward.  He  was  wearing  an  old 
suit  of  white,  but  had  on  tan  shoes,  as  if  he  expected  to 
go  walking,  and  a  shirt  open  at  the  neck.  His  nose 
was  peeled  from  sunburn,  and  he  stroked  it  gently. 

' l  What's  going  on? ' '  he  demanded,  seeing  that  Jarrow 
and  Trask  were  serious-faced,  each  waiting  for  the  other 
to  speak.  He  looked  about  the  decks  questioningly. 

"The devil  to  pay,"  said  Jarrow. 

"  Crew's  gone,"  said  Trask. 

"Crew!    Gone!    Where?" 

"Jumped  the  ship  in  the  night  with  the  dinghy," 
said  Jarrow. 

"Say,  what's  the  joke?"  inquired  Locke,  blankly. 
"You  two  look  as  though  there  was  to  be  a  hanging. 
Come  on — spring  it!" 

"I  wish  it  were  a  joke,"  said  Trask. 

"The  truth  is,  Mr.  Peth  and  the  crew  left  last  night 
with  the  small  boat." 

"Gone  to  a  dance,  or  something,  I  suppose,"  said 


MR.  PETH  DOES  AMAZING  THINGS     165 

Locke,  still  in  doubt  about  the  motives  of  the  captain 
and  Trask. 

"Maybe,"  said  Jarrow,  wearily  rising,  to  yawn  into 
the  sun's  face. 

Locke  stared  at  Trask,  and  finally  realized  that  he 
was  serious.  "Gone  to  the  island?"  he  asked. 

"Mainland's  over  there,"  said  Jarrow,  turning  and 
pointing  over  the  starboard  quarter.  "You  got  two 
guesses.  I'll  bet  on  the  island." 

Trask  now  looked  in  the  direction  indicated  by  the 
captain  and  saw  a  low-lying  ridge,  barely  perceptible 
in  the  morning  sun,  lifting  out  of  the  horizon.  It  was 
merely  a  dark  streak  against  the  edge  of  the  sea's 
brilliance,  dividing  sky  and  water. 

"Well,  that's  a  fine  note,"  said  Locke.  "What  do 
they  think  they're  getting  paid  for?  To  go  away  on 
marine  picnics?" 

"If  they  come  lookin'  for  pay,  we're  lucky,"  said 
Jarrow. 

"Now,  captain,  let's  get  down  to  cases,"  began 
Locke,  with  a  look  at  Trask  which  indicated  that  he 
was  done  with  temporizing  with  Jarrow.  "What  are 
you  going  to  do?" 


166  ISLE  O'  DREAMS 

Jarrow  looked  at  him  quickly,  as  if  surprised,  and 
made  a  grimace. 

"What  do  ye  expect  me  to  do?"  he  demanded,  with 
a  show  of  temper  in  his  voice. 

"We'll  start  for  Manila  in  an  hour  unless  the  crew's 
back  aboard.  Can't  you  give  'em  a  signal  of  some 
sort?" 

"Sure,"  said  Jarrow.  "I  can  run  the  Blue  Peter  to 
the  fore  truck.  I'm  ready  to  go  now — if  you'll  start 
whistlin'  for  a  wind."  He  wet  the  tip  of  his  finger  on 
his  tongue  and  held  it  up. 

"You  take  it  all-fired  calm,"  said  Locke.  "What's 
the  idea?  Are  you  going  to  sit  down  and  wait  for  the 
crew  to  make  up  their  minds  to  work?" 

"They've  probably  gone  to  the  island  to  find  gold," 
said  Trask,  who  realized  that  Locke  had  not  grasped 
the  situation  fully.  ' '  It  looks  as  if  they  won't  attempt 
to  come  back." 

"Oh,  that's  the  game,  is  it?  " 

"Looks  like  it,"  said  Jarrow. 

"Very  well,"  said  Locke,  grimly.  " I'll  look  to  you, 
Captain  Jarrow,  to  carry  out  the  terms  of  our  agree- 
ment." 


MR.  PETH  DOES  AMAZING  THINGS     167 

"What  ye  drivin*  at?"  demanded  Jarrow. 

"This:  Your  pay  by  the  day  for  schooner  and 
crew  is  for  a  definite  purpose — to  visit  this  island  for 
exploration  purposes,  and  to  have  in  our  employ  a 
certain  number  of  men.  If  we  have  to  go  back  to 
Manila  without  accomplishing  the  business,  or  lie 
around  waiting  on  the  crew,  it'll  be  out  of  your  pocket. 
It's  up  to  you,  captain." 

"You  say  I  don't  git  no  money  at  all  if  we  have  to 
go  back?"  Jarrow's  colour  heightened,  and  his  eyes 
flashed  angrily,  but  he  held  a  certain  restraint  over  his 
voice. 

"What  I  say  and  what  I  mean." 

"There  ain't  no  law  that  compels  a  master  to  guar- 
antee against  mutiny,"  said  Jarrow,  and  began  to  chew 
a  biscuit  reflectively 

"Mutiny!" 

"My  mates  have  jumped  ship  with  the  crew. 
That's  mutiny." 

"You  expect  them  to  make  trouble  for  us?" 

"I  look  for  anything  with  that  gang,"  said  Jarrow. 
"Peth  he's  a  bad  one  when  he  gits  started.  So  are  all 
them  chaps  with  him.  But  as  I  see  it,  they'll  be  back 


168  ISLE  O'  DREAMS 

here  in  no  time.  If  they  don't  find  gold  we'll  have  'em 
back  on  our  hands.  So  there  ain't  no  great  hurt  done." 

"But  if  they  do  find  gold?"  suggested  Locke. 

"They  might  walk  on  gold  and  not  know  it,"  said 
Trask.  "If  they  are  looking  for  a  fortune  in  fifteen 
minutes,  I  doubt  if  they'll  find  it,  and  they'll  like  the 
looks  of  this  schooner  pretty  well." 

"My  idea  exactly,"  said  Jarrow,  with  a  grin.  "We 
might  as  well  take  this  as  a  joke.  If  they  ain't  back 
by  the  time  we  have  breakfast,  I'll  take  a  run  over  to 
shore  in  the  long  boat  and  see  'bout  huntin'  'em  up. 
You  folks  go  aft,  and  let  me  handle  it.  I'll  see  it 
smoothed  over.  We  don't  want  to  start  back  for 
Manila  short-handed  if  we  can  help  it.  What's  the 
odds,  if  they  are  a  passel  o'  fools?  " 

"Perhaps  you're  right,"  said  Locke.  "It  wouldn't 
look  very  well  for  us  if  we  went  back  to  Manila  and 
left  them  here." 

"I'll  tell  you  what  you  do,  captain,"  said  Trask. 
"Take  a  run  ashore,  as  you  said,  and  bring  me  back  a 
bucket  of  that  sand," 

"I  thought  yould  like  to  go  over  with  me,"  said 
Jarrow. 


MR.  PETH  DOES  AMAZING  THINGS     169 

"No,  I'll  stick  by  the  schooner  until  this  hitch  with 
the  crew  is  straightened  out." 

"Maybe  Mr.  Locke'll  want  to  go?" 

"Not  for  me,"  said  Locke.  "Marjorie'll  want  to 
go  when  I  do,  and  I  don't  want  to  have  anything  said 
about  what's  turned  up.  You  take  Dinshaw." 

"I'll  need  two  men  to  row,"  objected  Jarrow.  "I 
might  take  the  old  fellow  and  the  cook." 

"We'll  keep  the  cook,"  said  Trask.  "We  can  spare 
Doc  Bird  better." 

Jarrow  agreed,  and  suggested  that  he  start  at  once, 
so  Doc  Bird  was  called  and  told  to  summon  Dinshaw, 
and  they  set  about  throwing  off  the  gripes  of  the  waist 
boat  and  got  it  over  the  side  with  jury  tackle  in  short 
order. 

"I'll  take  a  look  about  and  see  if  we  can  find  where 
they  made  a  landin',"  said  Jarrow. 

"You'd  better  come  right  back,  this  trip,"  said 
Trask.  "It's  important  that  I  get  some  of  that  sand 
under  the  microscope  or  cook  a  little  of  it." 

"Cook  it?"  asked  Jarrow,  puzzled. 

"Certainly.  I'll  be  able  to  tell  in  fifteen  minutes 
whether  there's  a  sign  of  gold  on  that  beach." 


i7o  ISLE  O'  DREAMS 

Dinshaw  came  out,  in  great  glee  over  an  immediate 
landing  on  his  island,  and  could  scarcely  be  restrained 
from  climbing  over  the  side  and  into  the  boat  long 
enough  to  have  his  coffee. 

As  the  final  preparations  were  being  made  for  the 
departure  of  the  boat,  Marjorie  appeared,  clad  in 
khaki,  with  a  short  skirt  and  heavy  shoes. 

"I'm  all  ready,"  she  cried,  thinking  that  everybody 
was  embarking. 

"We're  not  going  yet,"  said  Locke.  "The  crew's 
ashore,  and  the  captain's  going  to  do  a  little  recon- 
noitering  before  we  leave  the  schooner.  We'll  go  right 
after  breakfast,  though,  if  everything's  all  right." 

Doc  was  all  agrin,  and  regarded  the  early  trip  ashore 
in  the  nature  of  a  lark,  and  cast  aside  his  white  coat,  to 
help  row  in  his  resplendent  sweater,  while  the  cook 
went  about  laying  the  table  for  breakfast,  his  round 
yellow  face  devoid  of  any  interest  in  what  was  going  on. 

It  was  decided  that  Dinshaw  should  steer,  which 
tickled  him  mightily,  and  Captain  Jarrow  plied  an  oar 
himself. 

"Keep  a  good  look-out,"  warned  Jarrow,  as  they 
shoved  off  and  began  to  pull  toward  the  land. 


MR.  PETH  DOES  AMAZING  THINGS     171 

"You  bet  we  will,"  said  Trask,  gaily.  " Don't  go 
above  high-water  mark  for  that  sand,  but  fill  the 
bucket  from  any  dark  spots  you  can  find." 

"Captain  Dinshaw'll  simply  die  of  joy,"  said  Mar- 
jorie.  "I'd  hoped  we  might  all  go  together  and  see 
him  land." 

"You'd  better  put  your  hat  on,  Marge,  or  you'll  have 
a  skinned  nose,"  said  her  father.  "We'll  be  right  hi  to 
breakfast." 

"There's  some  hocus-pocus  about  this,"  whispered 
Trask,  as  he  and  Locke  moved  forward  for  a  private 
talk. 

"What  do  you  make  of  it?" 

"Jarrow's  in  on  the  deal  with  the  crew.  That's 
why  I  wanted  him  out  of  the  way  for  awhile  so  we 
could  figure  things  out.  I  believe  that  Dinshaw  did 
hear  them  say  they  intended  to  steal  his  island.  Peth 
or  Jarrow  got  my  gun,  but  Jarrow  thinks  we've  three 
more  between  us.  I  told  him  last  night  you  had  two. 
He  wants  to  get  us  separated." 

"Good  Lord!"  exclaimed  Locke,  aghast.  "You 
can't  mean  they  want  to  put  us  out  of  the  way ! " 

"I  wish  I  knew  what  thev  wanted  to  do,'  said  Trask, 


172  ISLE  O'  DREAMS 

speaking  rapidly,  and  keeping  his  eyes  on  the  boat 
which  was  making  good  headway  toward  the  shore. 
"But  I  believe  we're  in  serious  danger,  and  I  don't  see 
now  what's  to  be  done." 

"  Jarrow  is  a  fool,"  said  Locke. 

"More  of  a  rogue.  He's  far  more  clever  than  we 
realize.  I'm  sure  now  he  signalled  to  Peth  last  night 
with  the  lantern,  when  I  was  out  here  trying  to  see 
what  the  crew  were  about  with  the  dinghy." 

"Then  you  knew  it  last  night?" 

"Yes.  I  found  Jarrow  out  here  on  the  forecastle 
head.  First  he  lit  a  cigar,  which  I  suspect  was  a  cau- 
tion, then  he  shook  the  lantern,  probably  to  indicate 
that  their  absence  was  discovered,  and  then  he  put 
the  lantern  out.  He  said  it  was  so  they  couldn't  find 
their  way  back  in  the  dark,  but  now  I'm  sure  it  in- 
dicated that  not  only  was  the  party  known  to  be  gone, 
but  that  their  motives  were  suspected.  What's  more, 
I'm  sure  he's  had  Doc  Bird  spying  on  us — at  least  on 
me.  Just  as  sure  as  I  move  that  black  is  at  my  heels, 
as  full  of  questions  as  a  rose  is  of  thorns.  We  want  to 
be  mighty  careful  with  the  cook,  too." 

"We're  sure  in  a  pickle,"  said  Locke.     "If  there 


MR.  PETH  DOES  AMAZING  THINGS     173 

were  any  wind  I'd  be  for  getting  out  now  and  leaving 
Jarrow  and  all  hands." 

"  My  idea,  too.  But  you'll  notice  he  has  the  schooner 
well  in  behind  the  barrier  reef,  and  unless  we  had 
a  ripping  good  breeze,  we'd  pile  up,  or  one  of  the  boats 
would  overtake  us  before  we'd  have  the  jib  set.  Of 
course,  if  we  got  out,  it  would  be  easy  enough  to  make 
for  the  mainland,  or  with  good  weather  keep  down  the 
coast  until  we  reached  some  town  or  came  up  with 
some  vessel.  But  as  it  stands,  we've  got  to  play  the 
game  out  with  Jarrow." 

"What  the  dickens  he  expects  to  do,  or  make  out 
of  this  sort  of  performing  is  beyond  me,"  said  Locke. 

"Probably  find  a  lot  of  gold  and  send  us  back  to 
Manila  in  the  hope  of  cheating  Dinshaw  out  of  it.  I 
expect  they'll  be  disappointed  if  it's  gold  in  any  great 
quantity  they're  after." 

"But  why  should  he  and  Peth  be  plotting  together 
when  they're  at  outs?  "  asked  Locke. 

"It  may  be  that  Jarrow  favours  Peth's  scheme,  and 
now  wants  to  get  in  with  him.  I  don't  doubt  they 
could  make  up  their  differences  if  it  came  to  a  question 
of  hoodwinking  us." 


i74  ISLE  O'  DREAMS 

"Oh,  sure.  I  don't  know  whether  this  is  all  funny 
or  dangerous  but  we  seem  to  be  in  the  hands  of  a  lot  of 
fools,  and  that's  no  joke.  If  it  wasn't  for  Marge,  I 
wouldn't  worry." 

"Dad!  Aren't  you  two  coming  to  breakfast?" 
Marjorie  called  from  the  door  of  the  cabin,  and  then 
seeing  the  boat  approaching  the  shore,  went  to  the 
bulwark  and  watched  them  make  a  landing. 

They  saw  Doc  jump  out  and  pull  the  boat  up  on  the 
shingle  a  few  feet,  and  Jarrow  hopped  out  after  him. 
Dinshaw  could  be  seen  crawling  forward,  and  went  in- 
to the  water  up  to  his  knees  and  ran  up  the  beach  to 
fall  forward  and  plunge  both  hands  into  the  sand  in  an 
ecstasy  of  joy.  Those  in  the  schooner  could  hear  his 
high-pitched  voice  as  he  cackled  gleefully. 

Then  they  saw  him  talking  with  Jarrow,  and  point- 
ing to  seaward  over  the  reef,  and  evidently  going  over 
the  details  of  how  he  came  ashore  from  the  Wetherall, 
and  where  the  bark  struck. 

Doc  stood  nearby,  listening,  and  kicking  the  sand  with 
one  foot.  Jarrow  made  a  gesture  to  him,  and  the  stew- 
ard went  back  to  the  boat  and  brought  a  bucket,  which 
he  began  to  fill  with  sand  close  to  the  water's  edge. 


MR.  PETH  DOES  AMAZING  THINGS      175 

Jarrovr  put  his  hands  up  to  his  face,  to  make  a 
trumpet,  and  called  loudly  for  "Mr.  Peth"  several 
times.  His  voice  was  thrown  back  from  the  hill  over 
the  water  in  long-drawn  echoes  that  died  away  hi  the 
murmur  of  the  gentle  surf  breaking  on  the  other  side 
of  the  point  and  along  the  backbone  of  the  main  reef. 

"For  all  the  world  like  pag'ng  a  gorilla,"  chuckled 
Locke.  They  went  aft  and  stood  by  Marjorie,  and 
Shanghai  Tom  looked  out  from  the  cabin  door,  white- 
capped  and  white-aproned,  and  a  trifle  bored. 

Jarrow  moved  up  nearer  the  rim  of  the  jungle,  and 
was  rendered  almost  invisible  to  those  on  the  schooner 
against  the  glittering  white  sand. 

Doc  put  his  bucket  in  the  boat,  and  stood  by  the 
bow,  looking  after  the  captain.  Once  he  turned  to- 
ward the  schooner,  and  waved  his  hand.  Dinshaw 
was  moving  toward  the  point  slowly,  head  bent,  mak- 
ing a  careful  examination  of  the  shore,  stooping  now 
and  then  to  pick  up  a  handful  of  sand  and  let  it  run 
through  his  fingers. 

"Look — over  beyond  Captain  Dinshaw — in  the 
brush!"  said  Marjorie,  pointing. 

A  figure  in  blue  emerged  cautiously  from  the  tangle 


i76  ISLE  O'  DREAMS 

of  green  shrubbery  some  hundred  yards  to  the  right  of 
Jarrow — Peth,  in  a  suit  of  dungarees.  He  stepped 
out  into  the  sand  and  stood  with  his  arms  akimbo, 
watching  Jarrow,  who  was  looking  in  the  other  di- 
rection. 

Presently  Jarrow  turned  and  saw  Peth,  and  started 
toward  him  slowly,  apparently  in  some  doubt  as  to  the 
attitude  of  the  mate  toward  him.  When  he  had  ad- 
vanced to  within  twenty  feet  of  Peth  he  stopped,  and 
from  his  gestures,  he  seemed  to  be  talking.  At  times 
he  looked  over  his  shoulder  toward  Dinshaw,  and 
pointed  out  to  the  schooner  as  if  ordering  the  mate  to 
return  on  board. 

Peth  kicked  the  sand  but  made  no  move  to  obey. 
Jarrow  drew  nearer,  and  his  hands  became  more 
eloquent,  as  if  he  were  arguing  with  Peth  to  bring  the 
crew  back  and  return  to  duty.  Dinshaw,  now  well  up 
to  the  point,  went  on  with  his  explorations,  and  gave 
no  heed  to  Jarrow  and  Peth,  if,  indeed,  he  had  seen 
them  at  all. 

Jarrow  turned  to  the  shore  and  called  something, 
and  Doc  went  across  and  stood  near  by  while  the  pair 
continued  their  conversation.  Dinshaw  heard  the 


MR.  PETH  DOES  AMAZING  THINGS      177 

summons,  and  looked  back,  but  had  no  interest  in  what 
was  going  on,  for  he  resumed  his  trudging,  stopping 
frequently  to  look  about  him  as  if  searching  for  some 
landmark. 

The  parley  between  Peth  and  Jarrow  lasted  several 
minutes,  and  then  other  heads  and  shoulders  appeared 
in  the  brush,  peering  out.  Jarrow's  voice,  raised 
threateningly,  reached  those  in  the  schooner  in  a 
rumbling  sort  of  growl,  although  they  could  not  dis- 
tinguish his  words.  He  appeared  to  be  exasperated 
that  his  crew  should  stand  about  in  the  jungle  and 
refuse  to  obey  his  orders. 

Finally  Jarrow  waved  his  hand  to  Doc,  and  turned 
to  follow  the  steward,  when  Peth  ran  forward,  and 
stepped  between  Jarrow  and  Doc.  He  whipped  out  a 
pistol  and  pointed  it  at  the  captain. 

The  others  came  out  of  the  brush  at  this,  and  Doc 
took  to  his  heels,  running  for  the  boat  like  a  deer. 

Jarrow  put  his  hands  up,  and  roared  out  something 
angrily  to  the  effect  that  he'd  "  settle  this  business  if  it 
cost  him  his  life,"  and  as  the  crew  closed  in  around  him 
he  shouted  wildly  toward  the  schooner:  "Mutiny! 
Mutiny!" 


178  ISLE  O'  DREAMS 

Doc  reached  the  long  boat  and  making  frantic 
efforts  to  push  it  off  finally  got  it  afloat,  and  with  an 
oar  shoved  it  into  deep  water  and  began  to  scull  it 
out  rapidly,  making  a  zigzag  course  for  the  schooner. 

"Can  you  beat  it?"  demanded  Locke.  "They've 
taken  Jarrow  prisoner !  Now  we  are  in  for  it ! " 


CHAPTER  XII 

TRASK  MAKES  A  DISCOVERY 

THE  crazy  fools!"  exclaimed  Trask,  as  he  saw 
Jarrow  being  hustled  into  the  jungle  by  the 
crew.     "What  sort  of  game  do  you  suppose 
this  is?'    Have  they  all  gone  mad?" 

"Mutiny!"  said  Marjorie.  "Why  should  they 
mutiny?" 

"Search  me,"  said  her  father,  disgustedly.  "We 
seem  to  have  brought  a  fine  pack  of  maniacs  with  us." 
They  could  see  Dinshaw  exploring  the  beach,  ap- 
parently oblivious  of  what  had  happened,  or  careless 
of  the  quarrels  which  Jarrow  and  Peth  might  have,  so 
long  as  he  was  on  his  beloved  island. 

So  the  watchers  in  the  schooner  gave  their  attention 
to  Doc,  who  continued  to  drive  the  long  boat  ahead 
jerkily,  working  as  though  he  expected  to  be  pursued 
from  ashore  and  prevented  from  gaining  the  Nuestra. 

179 


i8o  ISLE  O'  DREAMS 

"What  was  that  all  about?"  demanded  Trask,  as 
the  steward,  breathing  hard  and  to  every  appearance 
terror-stricken,  brought  the  long  boat  alongside  the 
schooner. % 

"Lordy  me!"  he  gasped,  his  eyes  white  and  rolling. 
"They  shore  messed  up  things  this  yer  time!"  He 
quit  sculling  and  stood  up  in  the  stern  of  the  boat,  al- 
lowing it  to  make  the  distance  which  separated  it  from 
the  schooner  by  its  own  momentum. 

"But  what  did  they  say?  "  demanded  Locke. 

"It's  Mr.  Peth,"  said  Doc,  and  turning,  looked 
ashore.  "He's  got  the  skipper  up  a  tree.  Ah  tell  yo' 
all  that  man  Peth,  he's  a  danger!  Yassir!"  He 
made  the  boat  fast,  and  scrambled  up  the  ladder  and 
over  the  side. 

"Now,"  said  Trask,  "tell  us  everything  that  you 
heard." 

"Mr.  Trask,  fo'  Gawd,  if  you'll  slip  me  a  gun,  I'll  go 
back  en  blow  dat  man's  haid  off'n  his  neck!  Mr. 
Peth  he  don't  need  to  think  he's  goin'  do  no  foolin' 
round  with  me,  no,  suh!  I'm  jest  as  mean  as  anybody 
when  I'm  stirred  up,  en  I'm  mad  to  mah  marrer!  If 
I'd  had  a  gun " 


TRASK  MAKES  A  DISCOVERY         181 

"You're  more  of  a  sprinter  than  a  shooter,  if  I'm 
any  judge,"  said  Locke.  "Never  mind  what  you'll  do. 
What  did  you  hear?" 

"Well,  suh,"  said  Doc,  scratching  his  head,  "I  was 
a  just  sort  of  circulatin'  'round  when  I  filled  that 
bucket.  I  wanted  to  see  what  Mr.  Peth  was  projectin' 
about  wid  the  skipper,  so  I  jest  aidged  up,  closer  en 
closer,  when  the  cap'n  he  call  me  to  shuffle  along. 

"They  was  a-talkin',  kind  o'  low  lak'.  Mr.  Peth  he 
was  a-sayin'  how  they  all  been  fooled  'cause  there 
ain't  no  gold  on  the  island  nohow.  How  they  done 
dug  en  dug,  but  nary  any  gold.  And  Mr.  Peth  he 
'lowed  he  was  there  for  gold,  and  not  a-gitten'  any, 
he  was  goin'  to  be  paid,  en  paid  big,  en  all  hands 
wanted  a  batch  o'  money.  He  said  nobody  comin' 
back  here  nohow,  en  how  Jarrow'll  have  to  stay  there 
with  'em  ontil  they  was  paid. 

"De  old  man  he  'lowed  he  ain't  no  bank  on  wheels, 
and  Mr.  Peth  he  say  back  he  don't  care  whar  de  money 
come  f 'om,  he's  gwine  have  it,  en  he  slash  up  wid  a  gun 
en  say  to  come  along,  en  come  quick.  Then  the 
others  come  out  o'  de  woods,  lookin'  mighty  mad,  en  I 
says  to  mahse'f,  'Doc  Bird,  this  ain't  no  place  for  you 


i82  ISLE  O'  DREAMS 

to  be  circulatin'  'round,  not  if  yo'  wants  fo'  to  die  of 
old  age/  so  I  jump  fo'  de  boat." 

"So  it's  a  hold-up,"  said  Locke,  looking  at  Trask. 

"You've  got  it,"  said  Trask.  "They  set  out  to  get 
gold,  and  can't  find  it.  Now  they  think  we'll  pay 
them  a  good  price  to  get  out." 

"We'll  get  out  without  any  help  from  them,"  said 
Locke. 

"You  better  not  go  pullin'  up  no  anchors  in  this 
pocket,"  advised  Doc,  as  he  saw  Locke  look  over  the 
bows  speculatively.  "  Yo'  all  would  go  smack  on  that 
yer  reef,  the  way  the  tide's  got  a  set." 

"How  much  do  they  want?"  asked  Marjorie,  who 
was  more  amused  than  worried  at  the  way  things  had 
turned  out. 

"You'll  have  to  ask  Mr.  Peth,"  said  Doc. 

"You  get  in  the  boat  and  go  back  ashore  and  get 
Dinshaw,"  said  Trask.  "If  you  see  any  of  the  crew, 
simply  say  we'll  take  the  matter  of  paying  them  extra 
under  advisement  when  we  know  what  their  idea  is." 

"Mr.  Trask,"  said  Doc,  solemnly,  "I'll  go  back  if 
you  give  me  a  gun.  I  ain't  'fraid  of  no  man  what 
stands  on  two  laigs  if  I  got  shootin'  things.  But  I 


TRASK  MAKES  A  DISCOVERY         183 

ain't  goin'  back  with  my  bar'  hands,  for  Dinshaw  nor 
the  Tostle  Paul,  no,  suh!" 

"Oh,  you  want  a  gun,  eh?"  said  Trask.  "I'll  bet 
you  couldn't  hit  the  island  from  here  with  a  gun." 

"Show  me  the  gun,"  said  Doc,  eagerly.  "I  was  in 
the  army,  if  yo'  all  want  to  know.  I  got  medals,  yes, 
suh!" 

"All  right,"  said  Trask.  "Go  in  and  serve  break- 
fast and  I'll  give  you  a  gun.  Then  we'll  see  what  you 
can  do." 

Doc  made  for  the  cabin,  and  Shanghai  Tom  followed 
him,  to  whisper  in  the  galley  about  what  had  happened. 

"We'll  be  in  in  a  minute,"  said  Trask,  and  with  a 
knowing  smile  Marjorie  left  the  deck.  Trask  and 
Locke  strolled  forward. 

"What  do  you  think  of  it?"  asked  the  older  man. 

"It's  a  mad  scheme  on  the  face  of  it,"  said  Trask. 
"That's  why  I  wouldn't  undertake  to  say  how  it  will 
turn  out.  But  there's  one  thing  I'm  sure  of." 

"What?" 

"The  steward  is  crooked.  He's  too  anxious  to  find 
out  how  many  guns  we  have  and  too  anxious  to  go 
back  ashore.  He's  a  spy." 


i84  ISLE  O'  DREAMS 

"Then  we  wouldn't  be  wise  to  attempt  to  get  the 
schooner  out  with  his  help,"  suggested  Locke. 

"He  doesn't  want  us  to  try  it,  that's  plain,"  said 
Trask.  "I've  an  idea  to  test  him  out.  It'll  take  a 
little  time,  but  we  might  as  well  set  out  to  see  who's 
who  in  this  crowd." 

"That  gang  ashore'U  try  to  get  back  here,"  said 
Locke,  looking  over  at  the  island.  "They  can't  live 
on  sand  and  water." 

"Come  to  breakfast,"  said  Trask.  "Just  leave 
things  to  me,  and  talk  about  our  guns.  We've  got  to 
give  the  impression  that  we're  a  young  arsenal." 

They  passed  into  the  cabin,  and  Trask  took  the 
occasion  to  slip  into  the  galley  while  Doc  and  Tom 
were  absent,  and  lifting  out  an  old  rat-tail  file,  which 
the  cook  used  to  sharpen  his  knives  on,  slipped  it  up 
the  sleeve  of  his  jacket. 

They  sent  Doc  out  on  deck  to  keep  watch  and  Trask 
ordered  him  to  get  the  bucket  of  sand  out  of  the  boat. 

"Don't  you  feel  worried  about  this,  Miss  Trinkets," 
said  Locke,  as  Marjorie  looked  up  doubtful. 

"Do  you  think  it's  serious,  Dad?"  she  asked. 

"Serious!    Not  at  all!    We'll  get  out  of  here  as 


TRASK  MAKES  A  DISCOVERY         185 

soon  as  there's  a  breath  of  air,  and  leave  that  wild  lot 
to  themselves." 

''But  poor  old  Dinshaw,"  she  said,  "and  Captain 
Jarrow — what's  to  become  of  them?" 

"We'll  have  to  get  Dinshaw,  of  course,"  said  Trask. 
"I'll  take  Doc  and  go  for  him  at  once  with  the  boat." 
He  drank  his  coffee  hastily,  and  went  out  on  deck.  He 
disappeared  into  the  forecastle  and  was  below  for 
several  minutes. 

"Do  you  think  you  ought  to  risk  going  ashore?" 
asked  Locke,  when  Trask  returned  with  the  bucket  of 
sand. 

"I  don't  believe  they'll  bother  me,"  said  Trask,  and 
calling  to  Tom  to  bring  him  a  frying  pan,  he  measured 
out  two  or  three  cupfuls  of  sand  and  spread  it  care- 
fully in  the  pan. 

Then,  to  the  amazement  of  all  of  them,  he  put  the 
pan  on  the  galley  fire,  and  calling  Doc,  told  him  to 
watch  the  sand,  and  when  it  got  well  heated,  to  call 
him. 

"Cookin'  sand!"  exclaimed  Doc,  with  a  suspicious 
look  at  Trask.  "Ah  never  did  hear  of  such  a  thing! 
What  fo'  yo'  doin'  it,  Mr.  Trask?"  He  made  no 


186  ISLE  O'  DREAMS 

attempt  to  conceal  the  fact  that  he  doubted  the  young 
man's  sanity. 

"I  believe  there's  gold  in  it,"  said  Trask,  simply. 
"And  if  there  is,  we'll  find  it  by  heating  the  sand  and 
then  cooling  it  with  water  quickly.  See  those  dark 
grains?  The  heat  will  melt  the  gold  which  you  can't 
see,  and  run  it  together,  and  then  the  cold  water  cracks 
away  the  shell  of  sand,  and  your  gold  particle  can  he 
washed  out." 

"Beats  me!"  declared  Doc,  scratching  his  woolly 
head,  but  he  went  to  the  galley  with  renewed  interest 
to  watch  the  strange  dish  which  Trask  had  prepared. 

"Don't  stir  it,"  said  Trask.  "Let  it  get  good  and 
sizzling." 

"Yo'  goin'  cook  de  whole  islan'  in  a  fry  pan?"  asked 
Doc. 

"If  there's  a  hundred  dollars'  worth  of  gold  in  a 
bushel  of  sand,  don't  you  think  it  would  pay?"  asked 
Trask,  as  he  went  out. 

"Some  cookin'!"  declared  Doc. 

Trask  now  searched  Jarrow's  cabin  in  the  hope  of 
finding  some  sort  of  firearm,  but  there  was  neither 
pistol  nor  rule.  So  he  took  the  captain's  spy-glass,  a 


TRASK  MAKES  A  DISCOVERY         187 

cumbersome,  old-fashioned  tube,  and  went  on  the  poop 
deck  to  look  the  island  over. 

But  the  only  living  thing  in  sight  was  Dinshaw,  busy 
scooping  up  sand  with  his  hands,  and  building  what 
appeared  to  be  sand  forts.  The  old  man  was  working 
out  near  the  point,  close  to  the  water's  edge,  piling  up 
sand  like  a  harvester  getting  ready  for  the  work  of 
gathering  a  crop.  Mound  after  mound  he  made,  in  a 
long  furrow  on  a  line  with  the  shore,  just  above  the  rim 
of  the  tide. 

"I  believe  he  is  crazy,"  said  Marjorie,  as  she  looked 
through  the  glass.  "  Can  it  be  possible  he  thinks  that 
sand  is  gold?  " 

"That's  been  my  suspicion  for  quite  awhile,"  said 
Trask. 

Locke  began  to  laugh.  "We  are  the  prize  boobs," 
he  said,  "if  we've  come  here  because  a  cracked  old  man 
thinks  a  beach  is  solid  gold.  We  might  have  known  he 
was  out  from  the  way  he  talked." 

"Anyway,  it's  lots  of  fun,"  asserted  Marjorie. 
"Think  of  it!  A  real  mutiny,  a  lunatic,  sand  that's 
supposed  to  be  gold " 

"Marge,  you're  a  hard-shell  optimist,"  chided  her 


i88  ISLE  O'  DREAMS 

father.  "Don't  you  realize  that  we're  in  danger? 
That  a  storm,  or  a  dozen  things  would " 

"I  rather  enjoy  it,  Dad.  I've  always  wanted  to  do 
something  that  was  more  exciting  than  playing  tennis. 
I'm  glad  I  came." 

Trask  looked  at  her  and  grinned.  As  she  stood 
against  the  rail,  spying  out  the  land  through  an  ancient 
glass,  seeking  some  sign  of  a  crew  of  piratical  tenden- 
cies, he  couldn't  help  thinking  that  this  slender  young 
woman  with  the  yellow  hair  coiled  under  a  canvas  hat 
really  was  thrilled  by  the  possibility  of  danger. 

"By  George!    You  do  like  it!"  he  said,  admiringly. 

"I'm  only  a  little  bit  scared,"  she  confessed. 

"Mr.  Trask,  yo'  better  take  a  look  at  this  mess," 
Doc  called  up  the  companion.  He  betrayed  his 
suppressed  excitement  in  his  voice,  and  when  Trask 
went  down,  followed  by  the  others,  the  steward's  hands 
were  trembling  and  his  eyes  snapping  with  the  spirit 
of  discovery  which  possessed  him.  He  might  have 
been  a  scientist  making  a  test  which  promised  to  realize 
lifelong  dreams  and  labours. 

"Fine!  It's  fairly  glowing!"  said  Trask,  as  he 
passed  a  hand  over  the  dish  of  sand. 


TRASK  MAKES  A  DISCOVERY         189 

They  all  pressed  around  him  as  he  took  a  bottle  of 
water  from  Doc  and  dashed  the  liquid  into  the  sand. 
There  was  a  cloud  of  steam  and  a  terrific  hissing. 

"Now,"  said  Trask,  "pass  me  that  wooden  chopping 
bowl,"  and  he  dumped  the  wet  sand  out  into  the  bowl, 
and  laid  it  on  the  cabin  table. 

"Bring  me  another  pan,"  he  called,  "and  more 
water." 

He  began  twisting  the  bowl  with  a  rotary  motion, 
and  when  Doc  arrived  with  the  pan,  nursed  the  sand 
out  into  it,  and  as  the  last  of  the  sand  went  over  the  lip 
of  the  bowl,  ran  out  on  deck  into  the  sun,  and  examined 
the  bottom  of  the  wooden  bowl. 

"Lordy  me!"  gasped  Doc,  leaning  over  Trask's 
shoulder.  "Look  at  the  sparkle ! " 

The  wet  bowl  was  shot  with  tiny  points  of  yellow, 
which  caught  the  sunlight. 

"  Gold!"  exclaimed  Marjorie. 

"  By  thunder ! "  cried  Locke.     "  Dinshaw's  right! " 

"Gold  without  a  doubt,"  said  Trask,  and  turned  to 
see  Shanghai  Tom  staring  into  the  bowl,  his  eyes  fairly 
popping  out  of  his  head  at  this  magical  cookery  which 
transformed  a  sea-beach  into  glittering  wealth. 


igo  ISLE  O'  DREAMS 

Trask  resumed  the  washing,  and  in  a  few  minutes 
had  as  much  of  the  yellow  powder  as  he  could  hold  in 
the  hollow  of  a  palm. 

"Man  alive!"  remarked  the  gleeful  Doc.  "I 
reckon  we  better  take  this  yere  island  apart,  right 
down  level  to  the  water!" 

"There's  millions  on  it,"  declared  Trask.  "When 
four  cups  of  sand  will  assay  that  much  gold,  consider 
what's  in  a  mile  of  beach  like  this." 

"It's  a  new  one  on  me,"  said  Locke.  "I  never  saw 

such  a  thing  in  my  life  and Hello!  Here's  the 

boat  coming  out!" 

They  ran  to  the  rail,  and  looking  shoreward,  saw  the 
dinghy,  with  two  men  rowing  it,  and  Peth  and  Jarrow 
sitting  in  the  stern  sheets.  They  were  heading 
straight  for  the  schooner. 


CHAPTER  XIII 

WHAT  HAPPENED  TO  Doc  AND  THE  DINGHY 

THOSE  aboard  the  Nuestra  watched  the  dinghy 
for  a  minute  as  it  came  on,  the  sunlight  flashing 
from  the  oars.    Two  men  were  still  on  the 
beach,  far  up  to  the  left,  with  their  hands  to  their  eyes, 
watching  the  progress  of  the  boat. 

"Now  what's  the  game?"  asked  Locke. 
"It  looks  like  a  boarding  party,"  said  Trask.  "If 
they  wanted  to  come  back  and  behave  themselves, 
they'd  all  come.  Get  those  dishes  out  of  sight. 
They  may  manage  to  get  aboard  in  spite  of  all  we  can 
do,  but  we've  got  to  bluff  'em." 

"We  can't  let  'em  aboard,"  declared  Locke. 
Trask  moved  forward  and  mounted  the  forecastle, 
followed  by  Locke. 

' '  Hello,  you ! "  called  Trask. 

The  rowers  ceased  their  work,  and  with  suspended 
oars  allowed  the  dinghy  to  drift  on. 

191 


i92  ISLE  O'  DREAMS 

"It's  all  right,"  said  Jarrow.  "They  want  to  put 
me  aboard  for  a  talk." 

"You  can't  come  alongside,"  warned  Trask. 
"We'll  shoot  if  you  attempt  to  come  close,"  and  he 
put  his  hand  to  his  hip  pocket  and  pulled  out  his  silver 
cigarette  case,  taking  care  that  the  sun  hit  the  upper 
edge. 

"But  they  want  to  put  me  back  aboard  for  a  talk 
about  how  things  stand,"  insisted  Jarrow.  "You'll 
let  me  come,  won't  ye?" 

"Not  with  that  gang,"  said  Trask.  "Let  'em  take 
you  ashore,  and  get  up  the  beach.  Then  I'll  come  for 
you  with  the  long  boat." 

Jarrow  made  some  suggestion  to  Peth,  but  the  mate 
shook  his  head. 

"He  says  I  come  aboard  now,  this  way,  or  not  at 
all,"  said  Jarrow.  "You  better  let  me  tell  you  how 
the  land  lays." 

"Nobody  gets  aboard  here  until  Captain  Dinshaw 
is  brought  back,"  said  Trask.  "And  I'll  take  one 
man  of  the  crew.  The  rest  of  'em  can  stay  here  and 
starve  for  all  I  care.  It's  their  own  funeral.  They 
had  no  business  deserting  the  schooner." 


WHAT  HAPPENED  TO  DOC  193 

"But  I'm  master,  and  that's  my  schooner,  and  I'm 
to  say  what's  to  be  done,"  said  Jarrow.  "If  you  try 
to  do  that,  it's  piracy.  I  can't  help  it  if  the  men  refuse 
duty.  All  I  can  do  is  the  best  I  can  for  the  safety  of 
my  passengers,  and  if  you  don't  let  me  do  that,  I  wash 
my  hands  of  ye." 

"You'll  find  your  schooner  in  Manila,"  declared 
Trask.  "I've  told  you  how  to  go  about  getting 
aboard." 

"I  can't  do  what  they  won't  let  me,"  whined  Jarrow. 

"What  do  they  want?  "  demanded  Trask. 

The  boat  now  had  no  way  on  her,  and  had  swung 
broadside  to  the  schooner,  about  a  hundred  yards  off. 

"They  want  a  bonus,"  said  Jarrow. 

"What  sort  of  bonus?" 

"Extra  wages  to  work  the  schooner  back  to  Ma- 
nila." 

"We  won't  have  'em  work  the  schooner  back  to 
Manila  at  any  price." 

"You  can't  git  back  yourself,  Mr.  Trask.  Can't 
git  out  of  this  place.  It's  dangerous.  You'll  lose  her." 

"We'd  rather  take  the  chance  of  losing  the  schooner 
than  have  that  cut-throat  crew  back  here,  I'll  tell  you 


194  ISLE  O'  DREAMS 

that.    They've  made  their  bed,  now  they  can  sleep  in 

it." 

"Be  I  goin'  to  lose  all  I  got  out  of  this?"  wailed 
Jarrow.  "If  you'll  let  'em  put  me  aboard,  it'll  come 
out  aU  right." 

"They  can  have  the  island.  We  don't  want  it," 
said  Trask. 

"There  ain't  no  gold,"  said  Peth. 

"I  know  it,"  said  Trask.  "  Could  have  told  you  hi 
fifteen  minutes,  if  you  hadn't  wanted  to  cheat  Dinshaw 
out  of  it." 

"We  wouldn't  a-come  if  we'dknowed  this  wasasell," 
said  Peth. 

"Weren't  you  paid  to  come?" 

"He  ain't  got  no  gun,"  yelled  Doc.  "The  island  is 
full  o'  gold,  cap'n.  Yo'  got  to  cook  it  an' " 

Trask  turned  to  see  the  steward  waving  his  hands 
at  the  rail,  and  ran  toward  him  in  rage,  telling  him  to 
be  still. 

"Don'  you  lay  ban's  on  me!"  yelled  Doc,  backing 
away  to  where  Shanghai  Tom  stood.  Behind  the  pair 
was  Marjorie. 

"  So  you're  in  with  'em,  eh?  "  sneered  Trask. 


WHAT  HAPPENED  TO  DOC  195 

"I'm  in  fo'  mahse'f!"  declared  Doc,  lowering  his 
head  and  regarding  Trask  from  under  his  brows.  He 
put  his  hand  in  his  pocket.  "Keep  away,  w'ite  man, 
or  I'll  do yo' all  hurt!" 

Trask  walked  straight  for  the  steward,  who  pulled 
out  a  pistol. 

"My  gun!"  cried  Trask,  stopping.  Marjorie 
uttered  a  cry  of  dismay  as  she  saw  the  steward  raise 
his  hand. 

"I  can  shoot,"  warned  Doc.  "Come  on!  Come 
on!"  he  yelled,  waving  his  hand  to  the  dinghy.  "I 
got  'em!" 

Trask  heard  the  splash  of  oars,  and  saw  out  of  the 
corner  of  his  eye  that  the  boat  was  coming  ahead 
swiftly.  He  was  about  to  hurl  himself  at  the  steward 
when  he  saw  Shanghai  Tom  reach  over  Doc's  shoulder 
and  grasp  the  weapon.  Doc  turned  to  resist  the  cook, 
but  Tom  bent  him  sidewise,  wrenched  the  pistol  from 
his  hand  so  that  it  fell  to  the  deck,  and  lifted  Doc 
against  the  bulwark.  Then  catching  the  steward's 
legs,  he  threw  him  over,  head  first,  into  the  sea. 

"Good  for  you!"  shouted  Trask,  and  leaping  for- 
ward, grabbed  up  his  revolver  and  aimed  it  at  the 


i96  ISLE  O'  DREAMS 

boat.  "Stop!"  he  shouted.  "Stop  this  minute  or 
I'll  fire!" 

The  rowers  looked  over  their  shoulders,  and  seeing 
that  Trask  had  them  covered,  backed  water  furiously 
despite  the  shouts  of  Peth  to  go  on. 

Doc  came  up  blowing,  and  began  to  swim  toward 
the  dinghy  without  further  ado.  Jarrow  now  yelled 
to  the  rowers  to  keep  backing,  and  when  Peth  roared 
at  him  to  "shut  his  head,"  the  captain,  taking  ad- 
vantage of  the  confusion,  stood  up  and  leaped  into  the 
water  and  began  swimming  to  the  schooner  quite  as 
fast  as  Doc  swam  away  from  it. 

"Let  me  aboard! "  cried  Jarrow. 

"All  right,"  said  Trask.  "  Come  on ! "  and  he  came, 
with  an  awkward,  splashing,  overhand  stroke,  like  some 
queer  fish  with  one  curved  fin  out  of  the  water. 

The  rowers  stopped  backing  and  watched  the  two 
swimmers,  as  if  not  sure  just  what  to  do.  Peth  seemed 
inclined  to  wait  and  see  how  things  turned  out  before 
making  for  shore.  He  evidently  had  abandoned  any 
desire  he  had  to  get  aboard  the  schooner  by  force. 

Jarrow  came  floundering  along,  and  managed  to 
reach  up  and  grasp  the  stern  of  the  long  boat,  when  he 


WHAT  HAPPENED  TO  DOC  197 

pulled  himself  up  and  climbed  in.  He  stood  dripping, 
dashing  the  water  out  of  his  eyes,  and  regarded  the 
dinghy. 

"Get  out!"  he  bawled,  shaking  his  fist.  "Ye  can 
go  to  the  devil,  the  whole  lot  of  ye ! " 

Peth  made  no  reply,  but  spoke  to  the  rowers,  and 
the  dinghy  turned  slowly  and  headed  for  the  island, 
but  waited  for  Doc  to  get  alongside,  when  they  helped 
him  aboard,  and  made  off  rapidly. 

"Them  blastered  scoundrels!"  raged  Jarrow,  as  he 
rubbed  his  hands  down  over  his  shirt  to  squeeze  out  the 
water.  "I  lost  my  hat." 

"  Better  come  aboard,  captain,"  said  Trask.  "  Have 
you  a  gun?  " 

"I  wish  I  had,"  declared  Jarrow,  wrathfully.  "I'd 
a-let  daylight  through  that  fool  of  a  Peth!  See  the 
game  they  run  on  me  ashore?  " 

"We  did,"  said  Locke.  "You  were  lucky  to  get 
away." 

"By  the  Mighty  Nelson!"  declared  Jarrow,  as  he 
clambered  over  the  side  and  hurled  a  shower  of  water 
around  him  like  a  halo  as  he  landed  on  the  bone-white 
deck.  "I  never  did  see  such  a  passel  o'  fools!  Plumb 


198  ISLE  O'  DREAMS 

bugs  on  gold!  They  think  'cause  there  ain't  any 
we're  to  put  a  young  fortune  in  their  hands!  I'll  have 
the  coast  guard  on  'em,  that's  what,  and  land  every 
man  of  'em  in  Bilibid  for  life!" 

"Then  you're  for  getting  out?"  asked  Trask. 

"You  bet  I  am!  Think  I  want  to  hang  around  and 
palaver  with  a  set  of  pirates  that'd  stick  a  gun  in  my 
face  and  tell  me  where  I  git  off ?  Not  much!  What's 
that  Doc  pulled  on  you?" 

"A  gun,"  said  Trask.  "And  my  own.  He  had  it 
all  the  tune." 

"Well,  I'll  be  jiggered!"  declared  Jarrow,  staring  at 
the  weapon  which  Trask  still  held  in  his  hand.  "He's 
a  nice  one!" 

"A  smooth  article,"  said  Trask.  "He  fooled  me, 

all  right.  If  it  hadn't  been  for  Tom "  He  looked 

around,  but  Tom  had  disappeared  into  the  galley. 

"I'm  sure  the  steward  would  have  shot  you,"  said 
Marjorie,  who  had  regained  her  composure,  and  now 
stood  beside  Trask. 

"Looked  like  it  was  all  off  to  me,"  said  Locke. 
"We'll  have  to  square  things  with  that  Chink." 

"What's  this?"  asked  Jarrow,  looking  at  the  pan 


WHAT  HAPPENED  TO  DOC  199 

and  bowl,  and  the  sand  on  the  deck.  "Been  lookin' 
for  gold?" 

"Tried  some  of  it,"  said  Trask. 

"Find  any?"  asked  Jarrow,  with  quick  interest. 

"No,"  said  Trask,  and  Locke  appeared  startled,  but 
said  nothing. 

"I  better  git  into  some  dry  duds,"  said  Jarrow. 
"As  soon  as  there's  a  capful  of  wind,  we'll  see  what 
we  can  do  about  gittin'  out  of  this  hole,  unless  you 
want  to  go  prospectin'  ashore,  Mr.  Trask." 

"Not  with  those  fellows  there,"  said  Trask,  looking 
over  to  where  the  boat  was  making  a  landing  far  up 
the  beach.  The  other  two  men  came  down  to  meet 
the  boat's  crew,  and  there  was  a  lively  conference. 

"But  we  can't  go  and  leave  poor  old  Dinshaw,"  said 
Marjorie. 

Jarrow  looked  at  Trask  questioningly. 

"How  about  it?"  he  asked.  "Are  we  goin'  to 
hang  around  and  take  chances  just  to  pick  up  the 
oldun?" 

"We  can't  leave  Dinshaw,"  said  Trask.  "We've 
got  to  get  him  before  we  think  of  leaving." 

"You  can  suit  yerself,"  said  Jarrow.     "I'm  for 


200  ISLE  O'  DREAMS 

gittirv  out.  They  won't  hurt  him.  Soon's  we're 
gone,  they'll  all  make  over  for  the  mainland.  They've 
got  some  canned  meat  and  hard  bread.  They  took  a 
lot  of  stuff  with  'em  last  night." 

Jarrow  departed  for  his  room,  leaving  a  wet  trail 
behind  him. 

"He's  all  right,"  whispered  Locke.  "If  we  can  get 
Dinshaw,  we're  fixed  up  to  leave." 

"We'll  keep  an  eye  on  the  captain  just  the  same," 
said  Trask.  "I  rather  think  he's  had  all  he  wants  of 
Peth  and  the  crew,  even  if  he  was  going  to  stand  in 
with  them  at  one  time  " 

"Oh,  I  guess  he's  straight  enough,"  said  Locke. 
"But  you  didn't  tell  him  about  that  gold." 

"He  was  keen  about  what  you'd  found,"  said  Mar- 
jorie.  "I  suppose  he  didn't  understand  what  the 
steward  said." 

Trask  laughed,  and  leaning  over  to  Locke,  whis- 
pered: "There  wasn't  any  gold  in  the  sand." 

"No  gold?"  said  Locke,  staring  at  him. 

"  No.  The l  gold'  was  just  some  brass  filings  I  made 
in  the  forecastle  out  of  an  old  brass  cleat  that  was 
hanging  on  a  nail  in  my  room  for  a  clothes  hook," 


WHAT  HAPPENED  TO  DOC  201 

and  he  took  from  his  pocket  the  piece  of  metal  and 
displayed  the  groove  he  had  cut  in  it  with  the  file. 

"What  the  dickens  did  you  do  that  for?"  asked 
Locke. 

"To  see  if  Doc  would  stand  in  with  the  crew,  al- 
thoughldidn't  expect  it  would  result  in  his  pulling  a  gun 
on  me.  I  thought  that  if  he  was  against  us,  he'd  try  to 
get  back  ashore  with  the  news.  Now  if  they  think  the 
island  is  full  of  gold,  they'll  be  content  to  stay  there 
and  not  bother  us.  But  I  didn't  want  to  fool  Jarrow. 
He  might  not  be  so  anxious  to  leave,  if  he  had  what  he 
thought  to  be  proof  that  there  was  plenty  of  gold." 

"Oh,  I'm  sorry,"  said  Marjorie.  "I'd  hoped  that 
Dinshaw's  dream  had  come  true." 

"Had  me  going  all  right,"  said  Locke. 

Before  long  Jarrow  came  out,  in  dry  clothing,  smack- 
ing his  lips  after  a  drink,  and  lighted  a  long  cigar. 

"Now,"  he  began,  "how're  we  to  git  Looney  Din- 
shaw  back?  " 

"Go  for  him  with  the  boat,"  said  Trask. 

"You  come  along?"  suggested  the  captain. 

"I'll  stick  by  the  schooner,"  said  Trask. 

"Then  I'll  take  the  cook." 


202  ISLE  O'  DREAMS 

"  Not  unless  the  cook  wants  to  go  of  his  own  accord," 
was  Trask's  reply.  "I'm  not  going  to  ask  Tom  to  do 
anything." 

"Want  me  to  go  alone?"  asked  the  captain,  in  sur- 
prise. 

"I  suggest  that  you  row  up  toward  the  point, 
and  call  Dinshaw  down  to  you.  You  can  get  him 
easy  enough,  and  I'll  stand  watch  here  to  see  that 
you're  not  headed  off  by  the  dinghy." 

Jarrow  said  nothing  to  this,  but  went  aft  for  his 
glass,  and  studied  the  group  far  up  the  beach.  The 
sailors  were  gathering  wood  from  the  jungle,  and  mak- 
ing a  pile  about  halfway  between  the  edge  of  the  forest 
and  the  water. 

In  a  few  minutes  a  curl  of  white  smoke  was  rising 
from  the  pile  they  had  laid. 

"Gittin'  a  meal  ready,"  was  Jarrow's  comment, 
and  he  went  into  the  cabin  where  Shanghai  Tom  was 
setting  the  table. 

"Doc  is  making  a  fire  to  melt  some  gold  on  his  own 
account,"  said  Trask  to  Locke  and  Marjorie.  "  I  wish 
him  luck.  Dinshaw  is  still  piling  sand  into  little  dunes 
up  near  the  point." 


CHAPTER  XIV 
WHAT  JAKROW  WANTED  AND  WHAT  HE  GOT 

CAPTAIN  JARROW  spent  an  hour  or  two 
loafing  about  the  schooner  and  swearing  un- 
der his  breath  as  he  regarded  the  shore,  where 
the  crew  was  going  through  mysterious  incantations. 
But  Trask  understood  that  Doc  was  initiating  them 
into  the  mysteries  of  smelting  out  gold  from  sand. 
To  all  appearances,  it  was  utterly  devoid  of  anything 
approaching  gold. 

Finally,  after  a  conference  with  Locke  and  Marjorie, 
Trask  put  before  the  captain  the  matter  of  bringing 
Dinshaw  back.  But  Jarrow  was  inclined  to  be  sulky 
about  it.  He  objected  to  having  "it  put  up  to  him 
to  bring  the  fool  aboard,"  as  he  expressed  it. 

"None  of  us  will  leave  the  schooner  under  the 
circumstances,"  declared  Trask. 

"But  I  want  the  cook,"  said  Jarrow.    Trask  had 
203 


204  ISLE  O'  DREAMS 

joined  him  on  the  forecastle  and  the  others  remained 
in  the  cabin. 

"The  cook  stays  right  here  with  us,"  said  Trask. 
"I  don't  intend  to  take  a  chance  at  losing  another 
man." 

"You  don't  seem  to  look  on  me  as  worth  much," 
said  Jarrow,  as  he  gazed  at  the  column  of  smoke  which 
rose  straight  in  the  air  and  hung  over  the  island  like 
a  volcanic  vapour,  spreading  out  into  a  funnel-shaped 
cloud. 

"If  Peth  was  willing  to  put  you  on  board,  I  don't 
see  that  he'd  interfere  with  you  if  you  went  ashore," 
said  Trask.  "As  I  see  it,  you  can  pull  over,  get  Din- 
shaw,  and  come  back.  You  don't  need  to  go  near  that 
gang  on  the  beach." 

"Can't  ye  let  me  have  the  gun?" 

"No."  Trask  walked  away  from  Jarrow,  satisfied 
that  the  captain  would  take  no  action  so  long  as  there 
was  a  possibility  of  continuing  the  argument. 

Not  long  afterward,  while  the  three  in  the  cabin 
were  playing  cards  and  Tom  was  preparing  lunch, 
Jarrow  came  shambling  aft,  and  without  a  word  went 
over  the  side  and  into  the  long  boat.  When  Trask 


WHAT  JARROW  WANTED  205 

went  out  on  deck  the  captain  was  pulling  slowly  for 
the  shore,  making  a  course  to  land  near  where  Dinshaw 
was  toiling  in  the  broiling  sun  at  his  sand  piling. 

All  hands  deserted  the  cabin  to  see  what  would 
happen.  As  the  boat  approached  the  beach,  Doc 
was  seen  to  leave  those  about  the  fire,  and  proceed  to- 
ward Dinshaw,  with  the  avowed  purpose  of  heading 
the  captain  off. 

Jarrow  made  his  way  leisurely,  and  ran  the  boat  on 
the  shingle.  He  stood  watching  Doc  and  waiting  for 
him,  and  when  the  steward  had  come  close  and  stopped 
as  if  in  doubt  as  to  what  the  captain's  attitude  would 
be,  Jarrow  beckoned  him  on  with  a  peremptory 
gesture. 

There  was  a  parley,  which  ended  with  Doc  return- 
ing to  the  fire,  and  then  Jarrow  approached  Dinshaw. 
The  old  man  looked  up  and  waved  his  hand  as  if 
pointing  out  the  result  of  his  labours. 

Jarrow  kicked  the  sand,  and  got  down  to  examine 
it.  Then  he  said  something  to  Dinshaw,  and  the 
latter  got  up  and  followed  him  obediently  to  the  boat. 
Soon  they  were  heading  back  for  the  schooner,  Din- 
shaw serving  an  oar. 


2o6  ISLE  O'  DREAMS 

"What's  the  news?"  asked  Trask,  as  the  boat  drew 
near. 

"They  want  to  come  back,"  said  Jarrow.  "Peth 
sends  word  that  if  you'll  take  'em,  they'll  return  to 
duty  if  you'll  call  it  square.  Seems  like  they've  tried 
a  wrinkle  of  burnin'  the  sand  to  git  gold,  but  it  won't 
work,  an'  they're  plumb  disgusted." 

"We  won't  take  Peth's  word  about  anything," 
said  Trask. 

"I  guess  they  got  a  belly  full  o'  this  business,"  was 
Jarrow's  comment  as  he  brought  the  boat  alongside. 
"You  make  a  mistake  not  to  take  'em  up.  We'd  be 
in  a  bad  hole  here  if  it  come  on  to  blow  hard.  Ye 
better  let  me  signal  'em  back." 

Trask  said  nothing  to  this,  but  helped  Dinshaw  over 
the  side.  The  old  man  seemed  utterly  spent,  and 
appeared  to  be  in  a  daze  from  the  sun.  He  looked 
about  as  if  he  had  seen  none  of  them  before,  and  smiled, 
whispering  something  about  gold,  holding  up  his  hands 
and  looking  at  them. 

"He  thinks  the  sand  is  gold,"  said  Jarrow.  "I 
looked  it  over  and  it's  no  more  gold  than  I  am." 

Marjorie  spoke  to  Dinshaw,  but  he  merely  blinked 


WHAT  JARROW  WANTED  207 

at  her,  and  she  took  him  away  to  the  cabin  and  gave 
him  food  and  drink. 

"What's  this  Doc  said  about  you  cookin'  gold  out 
of  sand?  "  asked  Jarrow. 

"Brass  filings,"  said  Trask,  promptly,  and  took 
some  of  the  particles  from  his  trousers  pocket  and 
dumped  them  into  Jarrow's  palm.  "Had  my  sus- 
picions of  him,  and  wanted  to  see  if  he'd  give  me  a 
double  cross.  And  he  has  the  nerve  to  want  to  come 
back!" 

Jarrow  grinned  and  examined  the  grains  of  brass, 
and  with  a  remark  that  it  was  all  a  crazy  business, 
announced  his  intention  of  getting  some  sleep. 

"Call  me,  Mr.  Trask,  if  this  calm  breaks,  and  we'll 
git  out.  I'm  disgusted." 

Dinshaw  had  suffered  a  sort  of  collapse,  or  coma, 
and  he  was  put  to  bed  likewise.  Trask  managed  to 
get  up  an  awning,  and  out  on  deck,  where  they  could 
keep  watch  on  shore,  they  lunched  in  comparative 
comfort. 

Locke,  now  satisfied  that  the  whole  venture  was  a 
mad  sort  of  lark,  took  it  all  in  jocular  mood,  and 
chaffed  Marjorie  about  her  desire  to  go  adventuring 


208  ISLE  O'  DREAMS 

in  the  tropics.  But  Trask  knew  that  he  had  been 
much  more  worried  than  either  himself  or  Marjorie, 
and  that  his  sallies  were  the  result  of  his  relief  from 
strain  about  how  things  would  turn  out  for  them. 

Shanghai  Tom  had  become  the  pet  of  the  trio,  and 
while  he  maintained  his  outward  imperturbability,  it 
was  evident  that  he  was  quite  proud  of  his  exploit  in 
overcoming  and  disposing  of  the  treacherous  Doc 
Bird.  Trask  had  promised  him  a  reward  on  their 
return  to  Manila,  at  which  he  had  remarked,  "Me  no 
catchum  for  cash, "  and  shook  his  head.  The  China- 
man either  from  pique  at  the  crew's  total  disregard  of 
him  in  their  plans  or  from  a  real  liking  for  the  pas- 
sengers themselves  had  lined  himself  up  on  the  side 
of  the  Lockes  and  Trask. 

The  crew  deserted  their  fire  and  took  to  the  jungle, 
leaving  a  pile  of  smouldering  ashes  on  the  sand,  and 
during  the  afternoon  there  was  nothing  to  be  seen  of 
them.  The  dinghy  was  in  plain  sight,  pulled  up  on  the 
beach,  just  beyond  where  they  had  essayed  their  at- 
tempts at  reducing  ore  by  the  "cooking"  method. 

Trask  managed  to  get  a  nap  lying  in  a  steamer  chair 
under  his  improvised  awning,  for  it  was  agreed  that  if 


WHAT  JARROW  WANTED  209 

they  had  to  remain  at  their  anchorage  for  the  night,  he 
would  have  to  share  a  watch  with  Jarrow. 

In  spite  of  the  captain's  evident  desire  to  abandon 
the  crew  to  their  fate,  Trask  still  had  a  lurking  sus- 
picion that  Jarrow  was  more  in  sympathy  with  Peth's 
demands  for  extra  money  than  his  heated  language 
against  the  mate  implied.  And  the  young  man  was 
determined  that  he  would  not  relax  his  vigilance  once 
Jarrow  was  on  deck  again.  So  while  he  slept,  Locke 
sat  in  the  doorway  of  the  cabin  and  read  while  Mar- 
jorie  played  solitaire  under  a  corner  of  the  awning  and 
kept  a  watch  toward  shore. 

Jarrow  appeared  late  in  the  afternoon,  and  was 
rather  morose  and  silent.  He  went  out  on  the  fore- 
castle and  smoked,  scanning  the  sea  and  sky  and 
complaining  to  himself  that  there  was  no  wind.  The 
sea  was  as  smooth  as  a  field  of  liquid  metal,  great 
glassy  swells  extending  to  the  horizon  all  round,  glint- 
ing in  the  sun.  The  heat  was  oppressive  until  the 
sun  dropped  to  the  sea's  rim,  when  dark  wind  patches 
made  their  appearance  to  the  southward  on  the  sur- 
face of  the  ocean.  But  still  the  calm  held. 

While  the  sky  and  sea  were  yet  suffused  with  crim- 


210  ISLE  O'  DREAMS 

son  from  the  sun's  afterglow  Jarrow  came  aft,  and 
without  a  word  to  any  one,  or  even  a  look,  went  on  the 
poop,  going  up  the  port  side. 

Marjorie  went  in  and  peeped  into  Dinshaw's  room. 
The  old  man  was  sleeping,  breathing  gently,  but  lying 
like  a  man  utterly  exhausted,  flat  on  his  back  in  his 
bunk. 

As  she  came  out  on  deck,  where  Trask  and  Locke 
sat  watching  the  sea  and  reconciling  themselves  to  an- 
other night  aboard  the  schooner  in  the  bight  of  the 
reef,  Jarrow's  voice  came  over  the  cabin  trunk  in  a 
low  growl  as  he  cleared  his  throat. 

"We  better  talk  this  thing  over,"  he  suggested. 

"All  right,  captain,"  said  Locke.  "Suppose  you 
come  down  here." 

Jarrow  appeared  at  the  starboard  break  of  the  poop, 
his  hands  on  his  hips,  a  cigar  aslant  in  his  mouth.  He 
gave  the  trio  a  critical  glance,  and  turned  his  head  to- 
ward the  island. 

"Not  much  chance  to  get  out  to-night,"  began 
Locke.  "  Do- you  look  for  a  breeze?  " 

"I  don't  look  for  nothin',"  said  the  captain,  without 
looking  at  Locke.  "I  been  thinkin'  this  thing  over," 


WHAT  J ARROW  WANTED  211 

he  said  presently,  chewing  his  words  with  his  cigar. 
"I'm  out  of  pocket  on  this  deal." 

"How  do  you  mean?"  asked  Locke,  with  a  startled 
glance  at  Trask.  He  had  detected  a  belligerent  note 
in  the  captain's  voice. 

"Just  this,"  said  Jarrow,  with  sudden  vehemence, 
slapping  his  hand  down  on  the  cabin  roof,  and  turning 
a  savage  visage  at  the  three  sitting  below  him:  "I 
come  on  this  trip  lookin'  to  make  a  piece  o'  money.  I 
figured  there'd  be  a  couple  of  weeks  here  at  the  least — 
you'd  go  lookin'  for  gold,  an'  maybe  find  it,  an'  I'd  git 
a  look-in.  Now  ye  want  to  skip  out  for  Manila  again. 
Where  do  I  git  off?" 

Trask  sprang  to  his  feet,  his  face  scarlet  with  rage. 

"You  sit  down,  young  feller,  "ksaid  Jarrow,  holding  up 
a  hand  for  attention.  "Don't  go  off  half-cocked." 

"What's  the  meaning  of  this?"  demanded  Locke. 
His  back  was  to  Jarrow,  and  he  did  not  get  up. 

Trask  stood  glaring  at  Jarrow  with  trembling  lips 
and  set  jaw.  The  captain  pushed  his  cap  back  on  his 
head  and  puffed  a  couple  of  times  at  his  cigar  before  he 
spoke. 

"I  mean  you  can't  git  out  of  here,  wind  or  no  wind, 


212  ISLE  O'  DREAMS 

without  me.  And  what's  more,  ye  won't  go  when  I  do 
but  ye'll  pay  me  for  my  time,  and  I'll  make  it  fair 
enough." 

"  You're  in  with  Peth!"  exclaimed  Trask,  and  made 
a  move  toward  his  pistol  pocket. 

"I'm  in  with  Peth,"  admitted  Jarrow.  "He  didn't 
work  it  just  the  way  I  wanted,  but  now  it's  come  to  a 
show  down.  This  schooner  is  for  sale  for  twenty 
thousand  dollars.  I  guess  that's  fair  enough,  seein' 
the  jam  ye're  in,  and  the  young  lady  along." 

"I've  half  a  mind  to  take  a  shot  at  you,"  said  Trask. 

11  Go  ahead  and  shoot,"  said  Jarrow.  "That's  my 
chance.  I'll  risk  it.  But  you've  got  to  handle  the 
rest  of  the  crew  before  mornin',  don't  forgit  that." 

"Twenty  thousand  dollars,"  said  Locke,  musingly, 
and  looked  at  Marjorie,  who  stared  at  Jarrow  as  if  she 
could  not  believe  her  ears. 

"My  price,"  said  Jarrow.  "I  thought  I'd  say 
somethin'  about  it  before  the  boys  come  out.  They'll  be 
makin'  along  out  this  way  in  a  few  minutes.  It'll  save 
messin'  things  up  to  reach  a  bargain  before  they  come." 

"The  first  man  that  tries  to  come  aboard— 
began  Trask. 


WHAT  JARROW  WANTED  213 

"You  can't  kill  'em  all,"  said  Jarrow,  grinning. 
"Oh,  it's  cheap  at  the  price.  You'll  find  it  a  lot  more 
comfortable  to  see  this  thing  the  way  it  lays.  You 
shoot  me,  and  it's  all  off  with  ye.  The  boys'll  just 
have  to  boat  off  down  the  coast  and  say  ye  was  lost 
with  the  schooner.  That's  easy  enough." 

"You're  a  murderm'  scoundrel,"  said  Locke, 
quietly. 

"I'm  out  for  the  coin,"  said  Jarrow.  "Work  with 
me,  and  it'll  be  all  right." 

"  Sit  down,  Mr.  Trask,"  said  Locke.  "We  might  as 
well  go  about  this  in  a  business  way." 

"Now  ye're  talkin',"  said  Jarrow. 

"What's  your  proposition?"  asked  Locke.  "Tom! 
Bring  me  my  cigar-case." 

"I'm  sellin'  the  schooner  for  twenty  thousand.  I 
left  word  in  Manila  at  your  bank  that  you  had  a  mind 
to  buy,  an'  you'd  pay  ten  thousand.  That's  a  fair 
price.  My  bank  thinks  ye're  goin  to  buy,  too,  so  that's 
another  ten.  I  won't  have  no  trouble  cashin'  two 
checks  on  you.  I  cashed  your  checks  in  both  banks 
before  we  left,  and  they're  sort  o'  trained  to  it." 

"You're  playing  a  dangerous  game,"  said  Locke. 


214  ISLE  O'  DREAMS 

"Do  I  understand  you're  to  put  us  down  in  Manila 
and  then  go  up  to  the  banks  and  cash  checks  on  me?  " 

"No,"  said  Jarrow.  "You  stay  here  on  the  island, 
hid  away.  If  I  don't  git  the  money,  it's  you  who's 
playin'  a  dangerous  game." 

"But  how  are  we  to  get  away  from  here?"  asked 
Locke. 

"We'll  send  the  schooner  back,  after  we've  had 
time  to  git  clear  of  Manila.  May  be  five  or  six  days 
after  we  git  our  money,  but  Fll  send  it  right  enough. 
Of  course,  I  could  ask  more,  an'  take  a  wide  chance, 
but  I  ain't  hoggin'  things.  It  ought  to  be  worth  gittin' 
out  without  trouble  for  you  folks.  And  ye'll  git  some 
of  yer  money  back  out  o'  this  old  wagon.  Say  the 
word,  an'  I'll  signal  the  boys  to  come  back,  all  peaceful, 
an'  no  shootin'.  If  ye  don't  want  to  take  it  my  way, 
I'm  done  talkin'.  The  others  look  for  fight,  an'  Peth's 
got  my  gun's  well's  his  own.  So,  if  you  want  fire- 
works, it  ain't  my  funeral." 

"I'll  take  you  up,"  said  Locke,  as  he  reached  for  his 
cigar-case.  "You'll  let  us  have  Tom — and  what  we 
need?" 

"Everything  ye  want,"  said  Jarrow,  with  satisfac- 


WHAT  JARROW  WANTED  215 

tion.  "Only  don't  come  no  didoes  with  me  or  the 
checks.  If  I  ain't  here  to  tell  Peth  it's  all  right  when 
he  comes  alongside,  he'll  cut  loose  on  ye  in  the  dark." 

"I'm  giving  you  my  word  that  we'll  play  fair,  as  you 
call  it.  You'll  get  your  checks,  and  all  I  ask  is  fair 
play  in  return." 

"  My  way  o'  lookin'  at  it,"  said  Jarrow.  "  I  thought 
you'd  find  it  a  open  an'  shut  game,  an'  I  spoke  as  I  did 
so's  you'd  have  time  to  pack  an'  stow  the  boats,  if  ye 
don't  want  to  stay  aboard  to-night.  But  there  ain't 
no  call  for  you  leavin'  here  'less  we  git  a  wind." 

"We'll  take  that  up  later,"  said  Locke. 

"I'd  like  a  letter  from  you,  as  how  ye've  bought  the 
schooner,"  said  Jarrow.  "Ye  can  say's  ye've  decided 
to  remain  here,  and  I'm  to  attend  to  some  things  in 
Manila,  so's  it'll  look  natural  like." 

"As  you  say,"  said  Locke.  "If  you'll  fetch  my 
coat,  I'll  write  out  a  check — the  checks.  And  my 
pen's  with  the  book." 

"I'll  bring  some  paper,"  said  Jarrow,  with  a  glance 
at  Trask.  "If  you  don't  mind,  unload  your  gun,  and 
give  me  the  ca'tridges.  I'll  turn  'em  over  to  ye  when 
ye  leave  for  the  island.  How's  that?  " 


216  ISLE  O'  DREAMS 

"I'll  compromise,"  said  Trask.  "Suppose  Miss 
Locke  keeps  the  gun?  You'd  hardly  expect  Miss 
Locke  to  shoot  you  in  the  back,  would  you?" 

"  I'll  take  the  ca'tridges,"  said  Jarrow,  coming  down 
and  holding  out  his  hand.  "I  ain't  figurin'  on  any- 
body changin'  their  mind,  but  it'll  be  better  to  make 
sure." 

"Give  him  what  he  wants,"  said  Locke.  "We'll 
play  the  game  as  the  cards  run." 

So  Trask  took  out  the  magazine,  and  removed  the 
cartridge  from  the  chamber  of  the  pistol  and  sur- 
rendered the  ammunition. 

Jarrow  went  into  his  room  for  the  paper,  and  they 
heard  him  fumbling  in  the  little  bulkhead  desk. 

"No  use  arguing  with  a  man  when  he's  got  the  drop 
on  you,"  said  Locke.  "  If  it  wasn't  for  Miss  Trinkets, 
here,  it  might  be  different.  But  I'd  rather  pay  up 
than  see  anybody  hurt." 

Trask  sat  with  his  empty  pistol  across  his  knees, 
thoroughly  dejected,  staring  out  over  the  blood- 
red  sea.  Already  a  star,  close  to  the  horizon,  had 
popped  out,  and  the  top  of  the  island  was  gathering 
gloom. 


WHAT  JARROW  WANTED  217 

"I  was  a  fool  ever  to  take  you  people  on  such  a  wild- 
goose  chase,"  said  Trask.  "I'll  have  to  pay  you  back 
every  dollar  of  this,  Mr.  Locke." 

"Pay  nothing,"  said  Locke. 

"I'm  the  one  to  blame,  Dad,"  said  Marjorie,  laying 
her  hand  on  his  arm.  She  was  quite  white,  but  she 
smiled  faintly.  "And  you  can't  blame  yourself,  Mr. 
Trask.  It  was  all  my  plan  from  the  first,  Dad.  We 
plotted  to  inveigle  you  into  coming  to  the  island,  at 
least  I  abetted  Mr.  Trask,  and  I'm  glad  I  came." 

"I'm  satisfied—  "  said  Locke,  with  a  whimsical 
smile,  and  before  he  could  go  on  he  was  interrupted  by 
a  scream  of  rage  inside  the  cabin. 

They  all  sprang  up  as  Tom  dashed  from  the  galley 
and  looked  into  the  captain's  cabin.  They  saw  the 
white  form  of  the  Chinese  against  the  dark  interior, 
and  heard  a  terrific  struggle  going  on,  with  the  sound  of 
shoes  being  hammered  against  the  bulkhead. 

As  the  three  pressed  in  to  look  over  Tom's  shoulder 
Dinshaw  leaped  from  the  deck  of  the  captain's  cabin, 
and  yelling  like  mad,  ran  up  the  companion  and  dived 
over  the  taffrail. 

Trask  ran  after  him  in  time  to  hear  him  splash  into 


218  ISLE  O'  DREAMS 

the  water,  and  turning  to  come  through  the  cabin  for 
the  long  boat,  heard  Jarrow  sobbing  on  the  deck,  and 
crawling  about,  or  so  it  seemed,  for  the  captain's  arms 
were  moving  like  a  swimmer's  although  he  was  making 
no  progress  forward.  And  as  he  struggled,  he  gave 
gasping  cries. 

"What's  happened?"  cried  Locke. 

"He  killum  cap'n,"  said  Shanghai  Tom,  and  stoop- 
ing down,  picked  up  a  knife.  It  was  a  long  knife  from 
the  galley  rack. 

Marjorie  ran  from  the  cabin,  overcome  with  horror, 
and  Trask  followed,  with  the  intention  of  getting  the 
long  boat  away  to  save  Dinshaw.  But  as  he  paused, 
poised  on  the  bulwark  to  jump  down  into  the  boat,  he 
looked  aft.  There  was  no  trace  of  Dinshaw. 

"  Go  to  the  taffrail  and  look,"  he  called  to  Marjorie. 
She  hastened  to  the  poop-deck  while  he  got  the  boat 
off,  which  swung  with  the  tide,  and  drifted  aft  as  he 
paddled  with  the  big  oar,  standing  in  the  stern.  * 

For  an  instant  there  was  a  white  object  visible 
against  the  dark  water,  as  if  a  fish  had  broken  the 
surface.  Whatever  it  was,  it  was  being  swept  away 
swiftly  by  the  tide.  Before  Trask  could  reach  the  spot 


WHAT  JARROW  WANTED  219 

where  it  had  appeared,  the  water  was  smoothed  out  in 
a  steely  sheen.  Dinshaw  had  been  whirled  away  to 
the  coral  depths  below. 

It  was  growing  dark  as  Trask  rowed  back.  As  he 
came  alongside  the  schooner  he  saw  Locke  standing 
beside  Marjorie. 

"Dead,"  said  Locke. 

From  shore  there  came  a  confused  chorus  of  cries. 
Trask  listened,  and  across  the  darkening  waters  he  saw 
a  white  spot  drifting  out  slowly,  and  then  in  the  even- 
ing hush  heard  the  clatter  of  oars. 

"The  cartridges!"  he  cried.  "They're  coming  out, 
Peth  and  the  others.  With  Jarrow  dead,  we've  a 
fight  on  our  hands!" 

He  leaped  over  the  bulwark,  and  dashed  into 
Jarrow's  cabin,  to  regain  the  ammunition  he  had 
surrendered.  A  blazing  match  revealed  Jarrow  lying 
on  his  back,  his  face  distorted  and  spotted.  Trask 
found  the  cartridges  loose  in  the  captain's  coat  pocket, 
and  hurried  out  of  the  cabin. 


CHAPTER  XV 
AN  END  AND  A  BEGINNING 

A  RED  moon  rose  out  of  the  sea,  and  threw 
a  fiery  trail  over  the  heaving  wastes  that 
reached  to  the  schooner's  side.    Her  hull 
and  masts  stood  out  in  bold  relief  like  a  vessel  in 
silhouette  before  the  glare  of  a  volcano. 

Trask,  Locke,  and  Shanghai  Tom  stood  on  the  star- 
board side  abreast  of  the  foremast  where  they  could 
see  over  the  bows  and  still  be  in  a  position  to  resist 
from  either  side  when  the  crew  attempted  to  board. 
Locke  had  a  pair  of  iron  belaying  pins,  and  while  Tom 
had  a  similar  weapon,  he  also  had  a  galley  knife. 
Marjorie  stood  just  outside  the  cabin  door,  where 
she  could  retreat  inside  and  protect  herself  against 
bullets. 

The  boat  came  forward  slowly  and  cautiously,  now 
only  a  dark  spot  on  the  water,  still  covered  by  the 

220 


AN  END  AND  A  BEGINNING         221 

gloom  of  the  island.  The  crew  apparently  hoped  to 
get  close  without  alarming  those  aboard. 

"We'll  let  them  come  on,  and  then  give  it  to  them 
without  warning,"  said  Trask.  "I'll  hold  my  fire 
until  they're  right  under  us.  Keep  low,  so  they  can't 
see  our  heads." 

Watching  over  the  bulwark,  Trask  saw  the  boat 
come  out  of  the  island's  shadow  into  the  moonlight. 
He  expected  a  dash  once  the  boat  was  exposed,  for  it 
would  be  useless  to  attempt  to  sneak  up  on  the 
schooner  if  any  watch  were  kept. 

But  the  rowers  came  on  leisurely.  It  might  be  that 
they  supposed  Jarrow  would  be  the  only  one  on  watch 
and  would  allow  them  to  get  alongside  before  their 
proximity  was  suspected  by  Trask  and  Locke. 

"I  can't  see  but  three,"  whispered  Locke. 

"Others  may  be  hidden,"  said  Trask.  "Or  they've 
decided  to  cut  their  party  in  two,  to  intercept  anybody 
who  got  away  to  the  island." 

"We  can  handle  three,  all  right,"  said  Locke,  with 
some  relief.  "They'll  walk  right  into  a  trap." 

"They  probably  figured  Jarrow  would  have  things 
fixed  for  them  by  the  time  they  arrived,  by  having 


222  ISLE  O'  DREAMS 

some  of  us  out  of  the  way.  It  isn't  possible  that  they 
could  know  what's  happened  to  him,"  remarked  Trask. 

The  boat  came  on  slowly  and  silently,  the  oars  work- 
ing steadily  but  with  little  noise  of  locks.  It  headed 
for  the  starboard  side,  and  came  up  within  a  do/en 
yards  of  the  bow  abreast  of  it.  Then  the  oars  were 
held,  backing  slowly. 

"Aboard  there!"  came  a  low,  hoarse  voice.  Trask 
and  his  friends  remained  silent. 

There  was  an  exchange  of  whispers.  Then  the  oars 
backed  water  quietly,  to  check  the  way  and  overcome 
the  tide. 

"Aboard  there!"  This  time  it  was  louder,  and 
Trask  knew  it  was  not  the  voice  of  Peth. 

"Hello!"  he  answered,  gruffly,  speaking  as  he 
thought  Jarrow  might  if  he  were  waiting  for  his 
treacherous  crew  to  seize  the  schooner. 

"Who's  that?"  asked  the  voice.  It  was  more 
cautious,  and  apparently  worried.  After  a  pause: 
"Is  it  Mr.  Trask?" 

"Yes,"  replied  Trask  boldly.  There  was  something 
hopeful  in  the  tone  of  the  other.  If  it  had  been  Peth, 
Trask  would  not  have  admitted  his  own  identity. 


AN  END  AND  A  BEGINNING         223 

"  Then  it's  all  right,"  said  the  other.  "  I'm  Bevins. 
Where's  the  skipper?  " 

"In  his  room  asleep,"  answered  Trask,  still  cautious, 
and  not  to  be  fooled  into  telling  the  truth.  If  they 
expected  Jarrow,  it  would  puzzle  them  to  be  told  the 
captain  was  not  there  to  meet  them. 

"Look  out  for  him,"  said  Bevins,  hastily.  "He's 
fixin'  to  do  for  ye.  We've  run  away  from  Mr.  Peth. 
Shope  and  Pennock  are  here  with  me.  We  don't 
want  no  trouble.  We  want  to  come  back  aboard  for 
duty.  But  have  an  eye  out  for  the  skipper.  He's 
lookin'  for  Mr.  Peth  to  come  out,  but  we  got  the 
dinghy." 

"We  stood  in  with  him  for  gold,"  said  another  voice, 
pleadingly.  "But  when  it  come  to  makin'  trouble  for 
you  folks,  we  ain't  for  it." 

"Come  up  closer  so  I  can  look  into  the  boat," 
commanded  Trask. 

"You  better  lock  the  skipper  in  his  room,"  said 
Bevins.  "We  don't  want  to  come  aboard  if  he's  go- 
ing to  make  a  row.  He's  a  slick  one,  and  he  thought 
we  stood  in  with  him — thought  we'd  come  out  with 
Mr.  Peth  to  put  you  ashore,  but  we  give  'em  the  dish — 


224  ISLE  O'  DREAMS 

Mr.  Peth  and  the  nigger.  You  better  git  the  skipper 
or  he'll  be  down  on  ye." 

They  pulled  the  boat  in,  and  under  Trask's  orders 
walked  about  the  bottom,  to  prove  that  there  was  no 
one  lying  hidden  under  their  feet. 

"You  may  come  aboard,  Bevins,"  said  Trask 
finally.  "But  the  others  stay  where  they  are  a 
few  minutes.  If  they  attempt  to  rush,  they'll  get 
shot." 

"Git  the  skipper  before  I  come,"  begged  Bev- 
ins. "Git  him  while  he's  asleep.  Don't  take  no 
chances.  He's  up  to  maroon  ye  all." 

"We've  got  the  skipper,"  said  Trask,  grimly. 
"Don't  worry  about  him.  He  is  dead." 

There  were  exclamations  of  surprise  and  joy  from 
the  boat. 

"Ye  done  for  him?    No  foolin'?  "  asked  Bevins. 

"No  doubt  about  it.  Come  aboard  and  see  for 
yourself." 

"Ye  won't  make  no  trouble  for  us  for  what  we  done 
if  we  come  for  duty?" 

"Not  if  you  help  us  get  back  to  Manila,  and  make 
no  more  trouble." 


AN  END  AND  A  BEGINNING          225 

"We  don't  want  no  trouble,  honest  to  Gawd!"  said 
Shope. 

"Mr.  Peth  he  got  us  to  go  ashore  just  for  fun,"  said 
Bevins.  "I  know  we  had  no  call  for  doin'  of  it  but  he 
said  we'd  be  back  in  the  mornin'.  Said  the  skipper 
give  orders  for  it." 

"  We'll  call  it  square  if  you  men  turn  to,"  said  Trask. 
"But  if  there's  any  more  trouble  the  first  man  to  start 
it,  follows  Jarrow.  You'll  have  to  understand  that 
before  you  come  aboard.  We're  all  armed  and  you'll 
have  to  be  searched." 

"That's  fair,"  said  Bevins.  "I'll  come  first.  I 
ain't  got  no  arms." 

They  worked  the  boat  aft  to  where  the  pilot-ladder 
was  and  Bevins  came  up.  Trask  searched  him  from 
head  to  toe  while  Locke  and  Tom  kept  watch  on  the 
others  in  the  dinghy. 

Trask  believed  that  Bevins  was  telling  the  truth. 
His  warning  about  the  captain  and  his  reluctance  to 
come  aboard  until  he  was  assured  that  Jarrow  could 
do  no  harm  were  convincing.  If  the  three  in  the  boat 
had  been  in  league  with  Jarrow,  it  was  improbable  that 
they  would  tell  Trask  that  the  captain  was  a  menace. 


226  ISLE  O'  DREAMS 

Bevins  then  asked  to  see  Jarrow.  So  Trask  sent 
him  aft  and  gave  him  matches  to  examine  the  captain's 
room.  He  came  back  presently,  and  with  considerable 
satisfaction  assured  his  companions  that  they  need 
have  no  further  fear  of  the  skipper. 

Marjorie  came  forward  to  her  father,  and  finding 
that  instead  of  a  battle  they  were  safer  than  ever,  she 
began  to  cry  softly. 

Bevins  now  advised  that  it  was  necessary  to  keep  a 
sharp  lookout  toward  shore.  He  was  afraid  that  Peth 
and  Doc  would  make  some  attempt  to  get  out  to  the 
schooner. 

Shanghai  Tom  went  to  the  galley  and  prepared  a 
meal  for  the  three  who  had  returned.  After  shutting 
the  door  of  Jarrow's  room  the  cabin  lamp  was  lighted, 
as  if  in  defiance  of  the  two  ashore  and  to  prove  that  all 
was  well  aboard  the  schooner. 

Shope  was  given  coffee  and  a  cigar  and  put  on  watch, 
while  all  hands  joined  in  a  meal  in  the  cabin.  Bevins 
went  over  the  whole  story  of  how  Mr.  Peth  had  held 
up  the  captain  ashore,  but  that  it  was  all  to  mislead 
those  in  the  schooner,  and  how  after  taking  to  the 
brush  the  captain  had  told  them  his  plans  for  "making 


AN  END  AND  A  BEGINNING         227 

a  nice  pot  of  money"  out  of  the  expedition,  they  hav- 
ing found  no  gold. 

Doc  had  been  in  with  Jarrow  and  Peth  from  the  first. 
He  had  been  told  to  play  the  spy,  but  he  had  kept 
secret  his  theft  of  the  pistol  from  Trask's  bag,  a  cir- 
cumstance which  puzzled  Jarrow.  The  captain  taxed 
Peth  with  having  made  a  blunder  so  early  in  the  game, 
and  it  was  not  until  Doc  had  declared  himself  as  the 
dinghy  approached  the  schooner  with  Jarrow  and  his 
men  that  the  secret  of  who  had  the  pistol  came  out. 

Doc  had  been  told  to  return  with  the  long  boat 
after  Jarrow  was  held  up  by  Peth,  and  announce  the 
captain's  capture.  When  the  captain  came  out  again 
it  was  with  the  intention  of  getting  aboard  the  schooner 
and  putting  Trask,  Locke,  and  Marjorie  ashore. 

Jarrow  had  planned  that  the  party  which  went 
ashore  in  the  night  would  get  back  in  the  morning 
before  they  were  discovered,  but  when  Trask  learned 
of  the  secret  departure,  Jarrow  had  signalled  them  to 
remain  ashore,  by  means  of  the  lantern  in  the  fore- 
rigging. 

If  the  crew  had  got  back  aboard  the  schooner  with- 
out having  aroused  any  suspicions,  it  was  Jarrow's 


228  ISLE  O'  DREAMS 

intention  to  get  his  three  passengers  on  the  island,  and 
then  demand  checks,  leaving  them  there  while  he 
took  the  schooner  back  to  Manila  and  got  the  money. 

Bevins,  Shope,  and  Pennock  had  no  idea  of  what  had 
been  planned  until  Jarrow  told  the  whole  plot  ashore. 
Then  it  came  out  that  Peth's  refusal  to  sleep  aft  was 
arranged  by  Jarrow  and  Peth  to  make  it  appear  that 
they  were  at  odds.  The  demand  for  money  was 
to  be  made  ostensibly  by  Peth,  Jarrow  always  pre- 
tending that  he  was  in  the  power  of  the  crew. 

Doc's  report  of  how  Trask  had  "cooked"  gold  out 
of  the  sand  had  set  them  all  to  burning  sand,  but  when 
they  found  no  gold  after  cooling  the  sand,  Peth  and 
Doc  had  quarrelled,  the  mate  calling  the  steward 
names  and  charging  him  with  being  as  crazy  as  Din- 
shaw.  Peth  doubted  Doc's  story  of  Trask  finding  gold 
at  all.  Doc  had  been  chased  by  Peth,  and  in  escaping 
from  the  mate's  fury,  the  steward,  being  barefoot,  had 
burned  his  feet  so  badly  that  he  couldn't  walk,  having 
run  into  some  of  the  red-hot  sand. 

So  Doc  was  to  have  been  left  behind  in  the  night 
attack  on  the  schooner,  and  it  was  due  to  his  disability 
that  the  trio  was  able  to  steal  the  dinghy.  Bevins 


AN  END  AND  A  BEGINNING          229 

said  that  Doc  had  once  killed  a  man,  and  Jarrow  knew 
about  it,  with  the  result  that  the  captain  held  the 
Negro  under  his  control. 

During  the  night  they  heard  Peth  halloing  to  the 
schooner,  calling  for  Jarrow,  but  they  gave  no  answer. 
Peth  continued  to  call,  like  a  dog  baying  the  great 
moon  which  wheeled  overhead,  until  along  toward 
dawn,  when  the  fire  on  the  beach  flared  up  for  a  while 
and  then  died. 

Before  daylight  there  was  a  nervous  stir  of  air,  and 
the  sun  rose  on  a  cloud  from  the  north.  The  breeze 
freshened,  and  Bevins,  now  in  command,  got  the 
anchor,  and  under  jib  and  reefed  foresail  they  headed 
out  for  the  sea. 

Jarrow's  room  having  been  cleared  early  in  the 
night,  and  the  captain  wrapped  in  old  canvas,  the 
body  was  dropped  overboard  as  they  passed  clear  of 
the  reefs,  Trask  saying  from  memory  as  much  as  he 
could  remember  of  the  service  for  burials  at  sea. 

Through  the  glass  Trask  saw  a  white  figure  watch- 
ing them  from  the  edge  of  the  jungle  as  they  drove 
southward  for  Manila  before  a  steady  wind  from  the 
northeast. 


230  ISLE  O'  DREAMS 

Marjorie,  who  had  slept  after  midnight,  leaned 
against  the  taffrail  with  Trask,  watching  Shope  and 
Pennock  trimming  the  sails.  Bevins  had  the  wheel 
but  Locke  was  asleep  below,  having  remained  up  all 
night. 

"Poor  old  Captain  Dinshaw,"  said  Marjorie. 
"He'll  never  have  his  big  house  with  good  soup  for 
supper." 

"Perhaps  it's  just  as  well,"  replied  Trask.  "He 
was  too  old  and  pitifully  crazy  ever  to  enjoy  anything. 
It's  likely  he  would  have  suffered  more  if  he'd  never 
come  to  his  island.  And  he  might  have  killed  some- 
body not  so  deserving  of  the  fate  he  meted  out  to 
Jarrow." 

"  I  suppose  you'll  come  back  and  really  look  for  gold 
when  we're  gone,"  she  said. 

He  looked  at  her. 

"No  more  of  that  island  for  me,"  he  said.  "The 
government  will  most  likely  send  a  boat  to  get  Mr. 
Peth  and  Doc  but  I  wouldn't  come  back  here  if  the 
island  were  all  gold." 

"Why  not?"  she  asked,  somewhat  surprised. 

"  Because  it  meant  great  peril  for  you.     I  would  not 


AN  END  AND  A  BEGINNING         231 

care  to  have  those  terrible  dangers  recalled.  I  want  to 
think  of  you  as  safe  and  happy.  But  there's  one 
thing  about  it  all  which  gives  me  satisfaction." 

"What's  that?" 

"You'll  never  forget  me ! " 

"Why,  Mr.  Trask,  of  course  I  won't!  What  a  silly 
thing  to  say!" 

"You  might  if  it  hadn't  been  for  what  we've  been 
through  in  this  schooner."  He  looked  out  over  the 
sea. 

"I  hardly  think  so,"  she  said,  smiling  at  him.  "Of 
course,  you  didn't  understand  what  a  joke  Dad  was 
going  to  play  on  Jarrow  about  the  checks." 

"What  joke!"  demanded  Trask,  turning  to  her. 

"Dad's  balance  at  the  International  in  Manila  is 
only  about  four  thousand  dollars." 

"Then  it  might  have  been  anything  but  a  joke  if 
Jarrow  had  come  on  for  the  money  and  didn't  get  it," 
said  Trask.  "But  I  suppose  the  bank  would  have 
allowed  an  overdraft." 

"There  couldn't  be  any  overdraft.  That  four 
thousand  is  all  the  cash  we've  got  in  the  world.  Dad's 
supposed  to  be  rich,  but  he  isn't.  We  have  only  a 


232  ISLE  O'  DREAMS 

little  fruit  ranch  in  Southern  California.  We've  been 
saving  up  for  ten  years  for  this  trip  around  the  world, 
since  mother  died.  Jarrow  would  have  found  himself 
in  trouble  if  he  had  attempted  to  cash  those  checks." 

"I  thought  your  father  was  a  millionaire?" 

"There  is  a  man  named  Locke  who  has  millions  in 
California,  but  he  is  not  a  relative  of  ours." 

"Glad  to  hear  it!"  cried  Trask.  "By  George,  I'm 
glad  to  hear  it!" 

"Glad  that  we're  not  rich!    Why,  Mr.  Trask!" 

"I'm — I'm  going  back  to  the  States,"  he  announced. 
"On  the  same  boat  you  do,  if  you  don't  mind." 

"You've  changed  your  plans?" 

"  Yes.  I'm  going  to  quit  mine-scouting  out  in  these 
God-forsaken  ends  of  the  earth,  and  get  back  to  where 
there's  civilization.  I  think  I'll  buy  a  fruit  ranch  in 
Southern  California.  I've  got  enough  capital.  And 
what  mining  I  do,  I'll  do  it  in  California." 

She  scanned  his  face,  amazed  at  what  he  was  saying, 
and  startled  at  his  seriousness. 

"  Come  below,  and  I'll  tell  you  about  it,"  hesaid,and 
she  went  down  before  him. 

"Marjorie,"  he  said,  seeing  that  Shanghai  Tom  was 


AN  END  AND  A  BEGINNING         233 

out  of  sight  in  the  galley,  and  her  father's  door  was 
closed,  "I've  been  in  love  with  you  since  that  first 
night  in  the  Manchuria.  But  I  thought — well,  I 
thought  you  had  millions!" 

"Wilkins  told  everybody  we  were  rich."  She  put 
her  hand  on  his  arm  so  gently  that  he  could  scarcely 
feel  its  weight.  "I — love  you.  I  was  sure  of  it  when 
Doc  aimed  that  revolver  at  you." 

He  swept  her  into  his  arms. 

"Thank  God  you  missed  the  Hong  Kong  boat,"  he 
said. 

"I  really  wanted  to  see  you  again,"  she  confessed. 

"But  you  were  going  home." 

"It  was  I  who  made  Dad  miss  the  Taming.  Any- 
way, I  didn't  tell  him  we'd  have  to  get  the  morning 
train  from  Dagupan." 

"For  that  I'm  going  to  kiss  you  again,"  said 
Trask.  And  he  did. 

Immediately  on  the  arrival  of  the  Nuestra  Senora 
del  Rosario  at  Manila  the  coastguard  cutter  Candelaria 
sailed  for  Dinshaw's  island.  Peth  and  Doc  Bird,  see- 
ing the  steamer  approaching,  attempted  to  leave  the 
island  on  an  uncompleted  raft,  which  broke  up  with 


234  ISLE  O'  DREAMS 

them,  and  both  were  drowned,  Doc  clinging  to  the 
mate  when  they  were  thrown  into  the  water. 

The  next  Hong  Kong  boat  left  Manila  with  Mr. 
Locke  and  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Robert  Trask  among  the 
passengers. 

Shanghai  Tom  opened  a  Chinese  restaurant  in 
Manila  with  the  capital  provided  by  Locke  and  Trask 
as  a  reward  for  his  bravery  in  disarming  the  steward. 

Trask  declares  that  his  days  of  hunting  gold  are 
over.  Locke  says  that  there  is  no  longer  a  lure  for 
him  in  tropical  islands,  and  Mrs.  Trask  vows  that  all 
the  romance  there  is  between  Cancer  and  Capricorn 
can  be  claimed  by  any  one  who  wants  it,  for  she  is 
happy  enough  on  the  west  coast  of  the  United  States 
of  America,  with  the  picture  of  Dinshaw's  island  hang- 
ing in  the  Trask  bungalow. 

THE  END 


THE  COUNTRY   LIFE  PRESS 
GARDEN   CITY,   N.   Y. 


